The annual Health at a Glance 2025 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) presents the most recent comparative indicators on population health and health system performance across member countries.
The report examines key dimensions such as population health status, access to and quality of care, health inequalities, health spending, and workforce trends.
Internationally, the data show a partial post-pandemic recovery, while highlighting persistent challenges:
- Obesity continues to rise (affecting 54% of adults).
- Around 3 million premature deaths under the age of 75 could have been prevented through better prevention and care.
- Spending on prevention has dropped back to only 3% of total health expenditure after peaking during the pandemic.
- Health expenditure remains high, averaging 9.3% of GDP across OECD countries.
Within this broader landscape, the findings for Greece are particularly significant.
Key Findings for Greece
- Public satisfaction with health services: among the lowest in Europe
Across OECD countries, an average of 64% of citizens report being satisfied with the availability of high-quality health services.
In Greece, however, less than half of the population expresses satisfaction — one of the lowest rates among OECD members. Similar low levels are found in Italy, Hungary, Turkey, Chile, and Colombia.
- Unmet medical needs: some of the highest inequalities
Across 28 OECD countries, only 3.4% of people on average reported unmet medical needs due to cost, distance, or waiting times.
In Greece, this figure reaches 12.1%, among the highest in the OECD.
Additional findings include:
- Over 8% of the population in Greece, Canada, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia reports unmet medical needs.
- Greece presents some of the largest socio-economic inequalities in access.
- Among people in the lowest income quintile in Greece, one in six does not receive the medical care they need.
- Cost is the biggest barrier to accessing care.
- Health spending and out-of-pocket payments: heavy burden on households
Across OECD countries, out-of-pocket payments account for roughly 20% of all health expenditure.
In Greece, households cover more than one-third of total health spending — among the highest levels internationally, alongside Mexico, Chile, and Latvia.
- Remuneration of health professionals: low levels
Earnings for self-employed medical specialists exceed USD 300,000 in countries such as Germany, Austria, and South Korea.
Conversely:
- Bulgaria reports the lowest remuneration levels.
- Greece records earnings of USD 65,000–75,000 for salaried specialist doctors — comparable to Mexico, Colombia, and Costa Rica.
What these findings mean
The OECD data clearly illustrate that Greece faces:
- A high financial burden on patients and households.
- Barriers to access, particularly for lower-income groups.
- Gaps in service availability and quality.
- Deepening structural inequalities within the healthcare system.
For organisations such as Kapa3, these findings reaffirm the importance of:
- providing continuous guidance and support to patients and caregivers,
- advocating for equitable access to health services,
- promoting policies that reduce financial and social inequalities in healthcare.
Sources
OECD – Health at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators
Text/Adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3
