The debate of whether Ireland’s healthcare system is better than that of the United States is not an easy one. There are many questions that need to be addressed, including how the government is handling it, how well it is being funded, and how much of a burden it is on the taxpayers. Ultimately, the answer to this question is going to depend on the circumstances of each state.
Public vs private
The Irish health care system is a mix of public and private. Both systems provide excellent quality of care. There is a clear difference in prices between the two, however. Public hospital services in Ireland are cheaper than their private counterparts.
For this reason, many choose to obtain private coverage for medical services. Private hospitals are more expensive but offer shorter wait times. Some people may be able to find a company to pay for their private healthcare plan. However, this option is not a necessity.
A comprehensive private health insurance plan will cost EUR2,056 per year for a couple aged 26 and up with two children. For a single person, this will cost EUR160 per month. Despite the rising costs of healthcare in Ireland, the majority of residents still opt for private care.
Costs
Ireland’s healthcare system is among the best in the world. It provides a range of services, including maternity care, emergency services, and overnight hospital stays. The Health Service Executive (HSE) manages the system and is financed by general taxation. However, public hospital costs in Ireland are high, and there is a wait for some treatments.
There are two main levels of health care in Ireland: free or subsidised care and private care. In a recent report, the US was ranked a dozen places lower than Ireland on a number of measures. For instance, Ireland had the second-highest rate of distance from a doctor’s office, and had the second-highest percentage of unmet health needs.
The public healthcare system is free or subsidised for all residents, but waiting times can be long. Patients may be required to wait weeks or even months for a GP appointment.
Pharmacies
If you’re traveling to Ireland or the US and have trouble finding medical advice, a pharmacy is an excellent place to start. Generally, pharmacies operate from 9am to 6pm on weekdays, although some in urban areas open late on weekends. Besides selling drugs, these businesses also sell items such as toys, office supplies, hair care products, and magazines.
Pharmacy has been practiced in Europe since the middle ages. Today, pharmacists are responsible for optimizing drug therapy and providing various clinical patient care services. They are experts on the human body’s physiology and metabolism, as well as drug therapy.
As the profession evolved, pharmacies became increasingly involved in immunization, counseling, and patient care. In the 1990s, pharmacists began administering vaccinations, and in the 21st century, they have stepped up their role as community immunizers.
Maternity care
Maternity care in Ireland is a hybrid of public finance and private health insurance. The public maternity care system is funded through general taxation and subsidised fees for service. Medicinal prescriptions are 50% subsidised.
Pregnant women are offered at least nine antenatal appointments with their doctor. They also have two visits with a trained midwife. If additional visits are necessary, they can be scheduled.
A study in Ireland investigated annual trends in maternity care during the Great Economic Recession. It found that there was an increase in demand for publicly funded maternity care, but a decline in demand for private maternity care.
Maternity services in Ireland are highly centralized. Women are referred to a general practitioner (GP) and a midwife for prenatal and postnatal care. There are three large stand-alone maternity university hospitals in Dublin.
Unmet need for healthcare
The health care needs of Irish citizens are varied, and depend on the type of care sought. They also vary by age group, gender, and educational level. Some of the reasons for unmet needs include affordability, time, and distance to the health facility.
In Ireland, the rate of unmet medical care needs was forty-six percent in 2014, second highest in Europe. However, this figure is a much lower figure than the EU average of 80 percent.
This is attributed to the fact that Ireland is one of the only western European countries without universal coverage for primary care. There is also an issue of accessibility. It is difficult to access some healthcare services, especially in rural areas, because of long waiting times.