Increased efficiency, quality and transparency of costs are among the key benefits of a universal healthcare system, according to a leading Dutch doctor.

Addressing the the annual conference of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists in Cavan, Dr Stevie Tan of the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam outlined his experience of the Dutch system of universal healthcare and the potential implications of such a system for the delivery of eye services in Ireland.
 
Dr Tan said in the Netherlands, strict government regulation with fixed prices and budgets during the 1980s led to increased waiting lists and lack of innovations. Costs were expected to increase due to ageing of the population and expanding treatment options.

"The major goal of the reform was to establish a universal insurance and introduce a healthcare market. Insurance companies became key players and healthcare providers were incentivised to increase efficiency, deliver service and quality and to innovate.”
 
Speaking of the benefits of restructuring changes to eye care in the Netherlands through co-operation with primary care providers, he said GPs are stimulated to treat patients with certain eye conditions supported by clinical guidelines.

This restructuring has allowed ophthalmologists to treat an increasing numbers of patients.
 
Despite its benefits, he concluded that the healthcare market in the Netherlands was still a work in progress.

“We are already seeing improvement of efficiency, and increased transparency of costs and quality. However, better and more detailed performance indicators are needed to allow further competition between providers.”

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