Healthcare systems across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries are delivering better care and saving more lives, but they are also facing mounting financial pressure and growing demand, according to a new OECD overview. The latest “Health at a Glance 2025” report shows that while quality and access have improved in many areas, rising costs, unhealthy lifestyles, and workforce strain are testing the limits of health budgets.
OECD countries spent on average 9.3% of GDP on health in 2024, higher than before COVID-19. Public health spending already represents about 15% of government budgets, and is projected to grow by another 1.5 percentage points of GDP by 2045, driven by ageing, new technologies, and higher expectations of care. Governments are being urged to get more value out of every health dollar, with prevention highlighted as a key way to reduce long‑term costs.
Life expectancy across the OECD averaged 81.1 years in 2023, but remains below pre‑pandemic levels in 13 countries, and more than three million people under 75 died prematurely from causes that could have been prevented or better treated. Despite mostly universal systems, gaps persist: low‑income people are 2.5 times more likely to report unmet medical needs, and waiting times remain a problem in several countries. Risk factors are also worrying: 54% of adults are overweight or living with obesity, over a quarter report monthly binge drinking, and vaping among teenagers is on the rise.
The report stresses that preventive and primary care can ease pressure on hospitals. Avoidable hospital admissions have fallen in most countries over the past decade, and satisfaction with primary care is high, with nearly nine in ten older adults with chronic conditions rating their care positively. Survival rates after heart attacks and strokes have improved too, reflecting better acute care.
Yet health workers are feeling the strain. Fewer than half of doctors and nurses believe staffing and workload are safe, and mental health concerns—especially among adolescents—are growing, with more than half of 15‑year‑olds reporting multiple health complaints. As demand rises, one in nine jobs is now in health or social care, and systems are leaning more on foreign‑trained staff, who account for about one‑fifth of all doctors across the OECD.
