Od dát ku kvalite: ako odvrátiteľné úmrtia formujú udržateľné zdravotníctvo (7 min)

Avoidable deaths are those we can prevent through prevention or timely, high-quality treatment. Slovakia has more of them than the average of advanced countries, but some indicators are improving. The key is not only a healthier lifestyle but also a functional "patient pathway" in the health system.

What avoidable deaths mean according to the OECD

The OECD defines avoidable deaths as those that can be prevented through effective preventive policy and strengthening public health, or through timely and high-quality healthcare. Published comparisons are released regularly every two years. Slovakia has 167 avoidable deaths per 100 000 inhabitants, the OECD average is 145, which means we continue to lag behind, although the trend has improved compared with previous years. For treatable mortality, the picture is less favorable, signaling gaps in the availability and quality of care.

Risk factors and the reality of the population

Among the main causes of "unnecessary" deaths are everyday habits: unhealthy lifestyle, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, overeating, or a polluted environment. In Slovakia, approximately 21 % of the population older than 15 smokes and the average annual consumption is 9,5 liters of pure alcohol per person. The estimated adult obesity rate is 16,8 % and it is associated with roughly 50 deaths per 100 000 inhabitants.

Another challenge is aging: as many as 72,3 % of people aged 65+ have at least one chronic disease, while the EU average is 60,4 %. Systemic factors include long waiting times, overburdened specialists, limited access to basic tests, and inappropriate home treatment resulting from poor awareness. The consequence is poorer control of diagnoses and more frequent, yet avoidable, hospitalizations.

Data, measures, and why prevention pays off

The state, together with health insurers, monitors asthma, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and hypertension annually, based on insurers' data and the International Classification of Diseases. The analyses track the patient's entire journey: number of examinations, medication use, diagnostics, and hospitalizations. In 2023, for selected diagnoses there were 30 182 unnecessary hospitalizations with costs of 160 million euros; a year later there were about 300 more of them and expenditures increased by approximately 15 million.

In 2024, an integrated framework for delivering care is being launched and the service network is being strengthened, with several measures already being implemented. Slovakia is also participating in a Swiss health promotion project and is preparing an overview of inspiring EU policies together with a final financial model for managing the prevention of non-communicable diseases. The point is simple: investments in prevention save lives and money, and everyone can contribute through everyday choices – from informed contact with the system to regular physical activity, where the rule is that every movement counts, at least 20 minutes a day.

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