14 November

The Belgian healthcare system is in 12th place according to an annual European ranking by the Swedish research institute Health Consumer Powerhouse.

The Netherlands organises its healthcare better than any other European country according to the study by Swedish research institute Health Consumer Powerhouse.

The annual study compares the level of healthcare from the patient's point of view. Patients in the Netherlands have to wait longer for treatment than in Belgium but for everything else the Netherlands scores better: patients have more rights, doctors record better results.

Belgium was 10th on the list last year, this year it is 12th. According to the study Belgium has too many problems with hospital bacteria infection. Further, the incidence of diabetes is too high as is the suicide rate.

Health Consumer Powerhouse has been producing the rankings for the past four years. Experts from the institute think that Belgium could score better, but no information about Belgian healthcare has been forthcoming from the authorities in recent years.

(flandersnews.be/Expatica)