Comparative analysis of common healthcare quality indicators in the Czech Republic with those in Europe and the U.S. - focus on outcome quality measures

The purpose of this research was to analyze the common healthcare quality indicators in the Czech Republic (CZR), and compare them to those in Europe and the United States, while focusing on the quality measures of outcome rather than measures of structure or process. In the CZR, healthcare quality issues have not been previously investigated in a comprehensive manner, as most health-related services have been evaluated quantitatively in the past, partially as a consequence of the administrative inflexibility inherited from the previous Communist practices.

The analyses presented in this paper were based on statistical data of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Regional Office for Europe. I utilized the WHO's information on the prevalence, incidence and mortality rates of chronic and acute diseases, statistical characteristics on healthcare settings and procedures, social medicine in Eastern Europe, healthcare systems in transition, and the cancer registry databases.

Main findings: In the CZR, healthcare services are available to all nationals and foreign persons legally employed by CZR organizations. No groups are excluded from coverage. Participation is obligatory. Ninety-nine percent children receive preventative care services and immunizations. State covers: women on maternity leave, children, students < 27 y. a., the unemployed, persons in military, on social welfare, & the retired. The outpatient contacts per person per year are among the highest in all of Europe, but Czech people still experience the highest incidence of malignant neoplasms of the colon worldwide. Detail comparison data are presented for Western and Eastern European countries and the United States.