Spain ranked 21st overall in the 2022 World Index of Healthcare Innovation, up from 22nd in 2021 and 24th in 2020. Notably, Spain ranked 17th for Quality, 13th for Choice, 20th for Science and Technology, and 23rd for Fiscal Sustainability.
The global recession from 2009 to 2015 reduced Spain’s per capita GDP by 20 percent, but a gradual economic recovery has lifted the country’s financial standing in the years since. Accordingly, Spain’s health expenditure is approximately nine percent of its GDP. Furthermore, Spain’s life expectancy is the highest in the European Union (EU) at 82 years, two years above the EU average. This longevity has given Spain a patient population with more chronic disabilities and health challenges that are associated with old age.