In 2023, Singapore dominated the ranking of the world's health and health systems, followed by Japan and South Korea. The health index score is calculated by evaluating various indicators that assess the health of the population, and access to the services required to sustain good health, including health outcomes, health systems, sickness and risk factors, and mortality rates. The health and health system index score of the top ten countries with the best healthcare system in the world ranged between 82 and 86.9, measured on a scale of zero to 100.
Global Health Security Index
Numerous health and health system indexes have been developed to assess various attributes and aspects of a nation's healthcare system. One such measure is the Global Health Security (GHS) index. This index evaluates the ability of 195 nations to identify, assess, and mitigate biological hazards in addition to political and socioeconomic concerns, the quality of their healthcare systems, and their compliance with international finance and standards. In 2021, the United States was ranked at the top of the GHS index, but due to multiple reasons, the U.S. government failed to effectively manage the COVID-19 pandemic. The GHS Index evaluates capability and identifies preparation gaps; nevertheless, it cannot predict a nation's resource allocation in case of a public health emergency.
Universal Health Coverage Index
Another health index that is used globally by the members of the United Nations (UN) is the universal health care (UHC) service coverage index. The UHC index monitors the country's progress related to the sustainable developmental goal (SDG) number three. The UHC service coverage index tracks 14 indicators related to reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, service capacity, and access to care. The main target of universal health coverage is to ensure that no one is denied access to essential medical services due to financial hardships. In 2021, the UHC index scores ranged from as low as 21 to a high score of 91 across 194 countries.
FAQs
Health ranking of countries worldwide in 2023, by health index score. In 2023, Singapore ranked first with a health index score of 86.9, followed by Japan and South Korea.
Which country has the best healthcare system in the world 2023? ›
Health ranking of countries worldwide in 2023, by health index score. In 2023, Singapore ranked first with a health index score of 86.9, followed by Japan and South Korea.
What country is #1 in healthcare? ›
What country has the best healthcare, according to this assessment? Singapore comes in at No. 1! Other countries with the best healthcare are listed below.
Where does the United States rank in total health? ›
The US also ranked last in terms of health outcomes, with the highest infant mortality and lowest life expectancy of any of the countries. One bright spot for the US was its second-place ranking in terms of care processes, including preventive, safe, and coordinated care and in patient engagement and preferences.
Does the US health care system rank last among 11 high income countries? ›
Despite spending the highest proportion of its gross domestic product on health care compared with 10 other high-income nations, the United States ranks last overall in providing equitably accessible, affordable, high-quality health care, according to a report from the Commonwealth Fund.
Which countries have the best health systems in the world? ›
Download Table Data
| Country | Legatum Prosperity Index Health Score | US News Ranking (2022) |
|---|
| Sweden | 82.28 | 1.00 |
| Switzerland | 82.11 | 6.00 |
| Netherlands | 82.05 | 11.00 |
| Luxembourg | 81.59 | 16.00 |
92 more rowsHowever, despite higher healthcare spending, America's health outcomes are not any better than those in other developed countries. The United States actually performs worse in some common health metrics like life expectancy, infant mortality, and unmanaged diabetes.
Why is the US ranked so low in healthcare? ›
People in the US see doctors less often than those in most other countries, which is probably related to the US having a below-average number of practicing physicians, according to the report, and the US is the only country among those studied that doesn't have universal health coverage.
Which country has the strongest healthcare system? ›
What country has the lowest rated healthcare? ›
Sierra Leone has the dubious distinction of being the worst country in providing healthcare to its citizens, with a score of 0.00 on the WHO health systems performance index. It is an African coastal country bordered by Guinea and Liberia, and has a population of almost 6 million.
Introduction. Canada ranked 25th in the 2022 World Index of Healthcare Innovation, down from 23rd in 2021 and 17th in 2020. Canada's overall ranking was dragged down by its 17th and 29th showings, respectively, in Science & Technology and Fiscal Sustainability. Canada ranked 12th for Quality and 16th for Choice.
Is the US healthcare system the best in the world? ›
These are the 10 countries viewed as having the most well-developed public health systems, along with their places in the quality-of-life subranking and overall list of Best Countries. Notably, the U.S. ranked No. 23 for its public health system, moving down two spots on the list compared with its ranking in 2022.
Which country ranks last on overall access to health care? ›
For the category access to care, which measures affordability and timeliness of health care, the U.S. also ranked last, whilst the Netherlands took first place. This statistic illustrates the access to care rankings of the United States' health care system compared to ten other high-income countries in 2021.
Is the US healthcare system the most expensive in the world? ›
The United States has one of the highest costs of healthcare in the world. In 2022, U.S. healthcare spending reached $4.5 trillion, which averages to $13,493 per person. By comparison, the average cost of healthcare per person in other wealthy countries is less than half as much.
Where does the US rank in quality of life? ›
Quality of Life Index by Country 2024
| Rank | Country | Quality of Life Index |
|---|
| 15 | United States | 174.0 |
| 16 | Slovenia | 173.4 |
| 17 | New Zealand | 168.4 |
| 18 | Qatar | 165.9 |
81 more rowsAccording to the 2024 edition of the CEOWORLD magazine Health Care Index, Taiwan has been ranked as the country with the best healthcare system in the world.
What country has most advanced healthcare? ›
As described in the table above, in the 2020 FREOPP World Index of Healthcare Innovation, five countries earned an Excellent overall rating: Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, the U.S., and Ireland. Switzerland, along with the #1 overall ranking, placed first for Quality.
What country has free healthcare? ›
However, Brazil is the only country in the world that offers free healthcare for all its citizens. Also, Norway is the first country in the world to implement a free healthcare policy as far back as 1912.
Which country has the best hospital in the world? ›
