By Free Republic | Created at 2024-12-06 04:49:10 | Updated at 2024-12-22 11:10:05
2 weeks ago
Ranked: How Often People Go to the Doctor, by Country
Visual Capitalist ^ | 12/05/2024 | Pallavi Rao
Posted on 12/05/2024 7:28:54 PM PST by SeekAndFind
If a country’s average doctor visits are high, it could be easy to assume the population isn’t healthy. At the same time not going enough may seem like there’s an accessibility issue.
As with most sociological data, the devil is in the details. And differences in payment systems, insurance plans, and how healthcare is delivered all play a part into why going to the doctor is more common or not.
This chart, via Visual Capitalist's Pallavi Rao, tracks the number of in-person doctor visits per year by country. Data is sourced from the OECD, as of 2021, or the latest year available. Figures are rounded.
Nurse Practitioners are Easing Patient Loads in Some Countries
At the top of the list, South Koreans visit the doctor the most, around 16 times a year on average. These visits are helped by the country’s famously fast and efficient healthcare sector.
Like the U.S., South Korea has a fee-for-service system which allows patients to access what they need—but with very little wait times.
However, unlike the U.S., its national insurance program covers over 70% of the medical bills, lessening individual costs.
| 1 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | Asia | 16 |
| 2 | 🇯🇵 Japan | Asia | 11 |
| 3 | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | Europe | 11 |
| 4 | 🇩🇪 Germany | Europe | 10 |
| 5 | 🇭🇺 Hungary | Europe | 10 |
| 6 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | Europe | 9 |
| 7 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | Middle East | 8 |
| 8 | 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | Europe | 8 |
| 9 | 🇵🇱 Poland | Europe | 8 |
| 10 | 🇮🇱 Israel | Middle East | 7 |
| 11 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | Europe | 7 |
| 12 | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | Europe | 7 |
| 13 | 🇦🇹 Austria | Europe | 7 |
| 14 | 🇦🇺 Australia | Oceania | 6 |
| 15 | 🇱🇻 Latvia | Europe | 6 |
| 16 | 🇭🇷 Croatia | Europe | 6 |
| 17 | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | Europe | 6 |
| 18 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | Europe | 6 |
| 19 | 🇫🇷 France | Europe | 6 |
| 20 | 🇮🇹 Italy | Europe | 5 |
| 21 | 🇷🇴 Romania | Europe | 5 |
| 22 | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | Europe | 5 |
| 23 | 🇪🇸 Spain | Europe | 5 |
| 24 | 🇨🇦 Canada | Americas | 5 |
| 25 | 🇫🇮 Finland | Europe | 4 |
| 26 | 🇪🇪 Estonia | Europe | 4 |
| 27 | 🇳🇴 Norway | Europe | 4 |
| 28 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | Europe | 4 |
| 29 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | Europe | 4 |
| 30 | 🇺🇸 U.S. | Americas | 3 |
| 31 | 🇬🇷 Greece | Europe | 3 |
| 32 | 🇨🇱 Chile | Americas | 3 |
| 33 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | Europe | 2 |
| 34 | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Americas | 2 |
| 35 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | Americas | 2 |
| 36 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | Americas | 2 |
On the other hand, Americans really don’t like visiting the doctor, averaging just two visits a year, one of the lowest in the world.
The OECD states that a large majority of the population faces high co-payments, which reduces regular checkups.
More importantly, nurse practitioners and other healthcare professionals play an outsized role in treating patients, especially those with chronic conditions, which means actual doctor visits fall.
This difference in health care delivery explains also why the Swedes, Canadians, and Finns don’t go to the doctor as much either, as they rely on other medical staff for most of their health-related needs.
As the world ages, the need for more doctors is only increasing. And some countries are able to attract them from across borders. Check out Europe’s Reliance on Foreign-Trained Doctors to see which ones are most successful.
TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Society
KEYWORDS: doctors; healthcare
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1 posted on 12/05/2024 7:28:54 PM PST by SeekAndFind
To: SeekAndFind
I haven’t been to one in about 20 years. I probably have several cancers, an enlarged prostrate, angina, and all kinds of stuff that I don’t know about.
2 posted on 12/05/2024 7:30:49 PM PST by Jonty30 (Genghis Khan did not have the most descendants. His father had more. )
To: Jonty30
Yes. I’m of the mind that if they don’t tell me, I can’t have it! 😄
3 posted on 12/05/2024 7:38:32 PM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
To: SeekAndFind
“And some countries are able to attract them from across borders”
Here in Silicon Valley, my first three GPs / family doctors over the past 45 years were native-born white males. Now all my doctors are immigrants and about 2/3 female. All of them are very competent and nice people. I sense more personal caring for patients from the immigrants, too.
4 posted on 12/05/2024 7:39:33 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (“Facts can be ignored, but their consequences cannot be escaped” -- Thomas Sowell)
To: SeekAndFind
"Ranked: How Often People Go to the Doctor, by Country"
England didn't make the list?
5 posted on 12/05/2024 7:40:16 PM PST by clearcarbon (Fraudulent elections have consequences.)
To: SeekAndFind
It would be fun to see a chart for dental visits per year.
England: 0
6 posted on 12/05/2024 7:44:01 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
To: SeekAndFind
Primary/ General doctor annually
Eye M.D. annually
Female doctor annually
I guess I fit the average.
Everything is a-ok here.
7 posted on 12/05/2024 8:09:04 PM PST by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
To: BradyLS
Me, too. I don’t think I have been in maybe 10 years? Other than chiropractor. I seem to be ticking along okay.
8 posted on 12/05/2024 8:25:01 PM PST by NEMDF
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