Political transformation in Central / Eastern Europe and former Soviet Republics and its effect on healthcare system and its outcomes

Zofia Skrzypczak, Ewa Rogoś

Abstract. During the period of communism countries in Central and Eastern Europe, both those being republics of the former Soviet Union, and those existing independently from former USSR structures, followed the same model of healthcare, named after its creator Semashko’s model. The main assumption of this solution was to provide the same and possibly the most complete medical services to all citizens. Beginning from 1989, the political system in the region of the world started to shift towards the market economy, although the pace of changes was different, faster in the Central Europe, and slower in the former Soviet Union. Healthcare sector in the analyzed countries had to go in hand with political transformation. Besides, it became obvious that public financing of healthcare must be related to gross domestic product, so countries with lower income were forced to limit the availability of certain medical services.

The publication analyses changes in healthcare sector in a number of countries that went through the political transformation and their effect on main health indicators. It compares a few key indicators, like life expectancy, in the very beginning of transformation and several years later. Apart from pure epidemiological data we presented trends in density of healthcare professionals per 100 000 population, as well as focusing on primary care.

Keywords:transformation, healthcare financing, healthcare system, health indicators, life expectancy.

JEL Classification: I11, I18, H51.

References

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Zofia Skrzypczak, Associate Professor

Faculty of Management,

Warsaw State University

Poland

skrzypczak@mail.wz.uw.edu.pl

Ewa Rogos, MD, MBA

Faculty of Management,

Warsaw State University, 

Poland