Health care in Slovenia is a public service provided through public health service network. Unlike the U.S., this network includes, on an equal basis, other institutions, private physicians, and other private service providers based on enterprises (WHO, 2011). With relatively limited public funds available for this purpose, the level of health care in Slovenia is entirely comparable with the level of health care in the advanced countries of Europe. Health system and the Ministry of Health in Slovenia use two efforts to contribute to reducing health inequalities by securing equal access and utilization of health services (WHO, 2011) — this includes what U.S can learn about preventive and other public health programmes. The learning curve can be much greater if other line parastatals within the U.S. states can work across entire social gradient and attempts to reduce differences in health between all socioeconomic population groups. This effort can be done by improving the health status of all citizens. The states can form effective public health policies in reducing systematic disparities. Relevant universal policies in education, social welfare, child and family development, active employment, and tax legislation are similarly the basis for reducing health inequalities in U.S.—something that Finland has worked on, and which – in connection with special support measures for vulnerable groups – can ensure the desired outcomes.
The responsibility for organizing health care services in Finland lies with the local authorities. This is unlike the US where healthcare lies more with the federal government and may have greater effects of control from private entities. In addition, private medical treatments are provided by the municipalities and the states. Many workplaces provide occupational health services. The system is quite efficient as Finnish health care expenditures are below the OECD average. The quality of Finnish health care is ranked above the average in OECD countries, measured by several indicators (Makkonen, 2012). The efforts used to reduce health inequality in Finland consist of efforts that are put in place, in the implementation and monitoring of Finnish policy measures and programs that aim to tackle health inequalities. Secondly, there is a need for permanent structure with adequate resources to carry out the monitoring of health inequalities in Finland.
In Finland, the state supervises the field and contributes to the finding, but the local authorities are responsible for organizing the health services. The central bodies are the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, which operates under supervision of the Ministry. In Finland, Currently, reducing poverty, social inequality, and social exclusion are the three priority areas of the Finnish government. I believed U.S can improve more on health equality by concentrating on inclusive but equal provisions of health services to its citizens. For example, due to improved living conditions and healthy behaviors, the life expectancy in Finland has continued to increase, and thus for Finnish women is among the highest in Europe (Mikkonen, 2012). In terms of specific health concerns, U.S could learn from Slovenia and Finland by attempting to improve health impact assessments of different policy initiatives and the impacts of these policies on the lowest socio-economic groups, and a readiness to formulate alternative policy recommendation if required.
WHO (January, 2011) Health Inequalities in Slovenia. Retrieved July 25, 2015 from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/131759/Health_inequalities_in_Slovenia.pf
Mikkonen, J. (2012). Finnish Experiences. Retrieved July 25, 2015 from http://mikkonen.kapsi.fi/archive/Mikkonen-2012-Finnish_Experiences-Tackling_Health_Inequalities.pdf
