Report Detail
United Kingdom, Surgical Procedure Volumes
In 2008, the population of the United Kingdom (U.K.) reached approximately 60.9 million, with the number of people age 65 and older comprising 16.0% of the total population; this represented an increase of 5.2% over the number of people in this age group in 1998. By the year 2018, it is estimated that 18.5% of the population of the U.K. will be age 65 and older.
The latest statistics from the World Health Organization indicate that total healthcare expenditures in the U.K. were equivalent to 8.2% of the nation’s gross domestic product in 2005; public healthcare expenditures represented 87.1% of total healthcare expenditures in that year.
A combination of factors including the aging of the population in the region, the introduction of innovative technologies, patient demand for improved quality of life, and evolving reimbursement practices are driving the trend away from traditional open and invasive surgical procedures toward minimally invasive and laparoscopic surgery. This report presents an overview of selected open and laparoscopic surgical procedures and the number of these procedures performed in the U.K.