Understanding care delivery within a universal healthcare system today

Universal healthcare coverage (UHC) is a controversial political and financial topic in any healthcare system. Unfortunately, the best value-based care for patients is not always achievable in many healthcare systems and the impact of the presence or absence of UHC has significant ramifications for healthcare institutions, clinicians, and patients. This review provides an overview of the different universal healthcare funding models to equip clinicians with the tools needed to navigate and advocate for better general and perioperative care for patients.

The United Nations included UHC in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, with the goal of UHC by 2030. The race to achieve this goal has meant policy and system changes that translate to a system in which clinicians working to deliver care is constantly evolving and challenged by epidemics, multiple world economic crises, geopolitical unrest, change in philanthropic investment, and a change in legal frameworks in healthcare delivery.

The way clinicians navigate value-based care in a UHC system will always be ethically and professionally challenging. Perioperative neuroscience clinical teams are, however, uniquely positioned to produce better patient outcomes and to advocate at every level of care and society for UHC.