Aim: To assess the efficiency and sustainability of using health resources in Estonian primary health care during 1998-2002. Three economic criteria--allocative efficiency, technical efficiency, and financial sustainability were analyzed from the original set of indicators, in parallel with the analysis of the Estonian economic development in 1998-2002.
Method: Routinely collected data from the Estonian Health Insurance Fund, the Department of Statistics and Analysis of the Ministry of Social Affairs, and Statistical Office of Estonia were used. All together, 22 empirical indicators that cover the most important areas of primary health care provision and utilization for the period 1998-2002 were calculated.
Results: Since 1999, Estonian economic growth has been approximately 7% each year. In 2000-2002 the average growth of consumer prices was approximately 4%. The number of family doctors has increased because the relevant education has been provided on a regular basis. Family doctors are using both group and solo practice. The size of family doctors' patient lists has stabilized, but can still vary between different counties and between countryside and towns because of variations in the density of population in different areas. The new combined system of financing primary health care provides a financial sustainability in using resources in Estonian primary health care.
Conclusion: Similar sets of indicators may prove useful in other countries of Eastern and Central Europe which are undergoing rapid changes in their health systems, yet do not have the complex health information systems like those in the countries from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and enable comparative analyses between them.