Brief history of Spain’s healthcare system

The Spanish health care system is ranked as the 7th best healthcare in the world, as
indicated in the year 2000 in a report by the World Health Organization and has
maintains a high-quality network of hospitals and medical centers throughout the
country. The Spanish constitution requires the state to provide medical care, so the
public system is strong. Spain’s medical network caters to a variety of needs, including
home visits, surgeries and wellness checks. Life expectancy in Spain is one of the
highest in the world.

The economic crisis is largely shaping health policy in Spain. That made major changes
in the health care system, both nationally and regionally. Spain has become even more
linked to non-communicable diseases over the last years. The current Spanish public
deficit crisis has pushed the Ministry of Health to adopt spending cuts. In the last years,
it has been a progressive demand and use of health services due to the aging of the
population.