Access to medical care is one of the key performance indicators of the health system. However, access to medical care is a complex multidimensional concept. The current changes in access to medical care in Russia are considered in this article in three dimensions: through international comparison, according to official Russian statistics, and from the point of view of the country’s population. In the first two dimensions, the accessibility of medical care is measured mainly by the resource availability using quantitative reporting indicators.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the trends in the 21st century in medical care accessibility in Russia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The time series of individual indicators of medical care accessibility were analyzed based on international and Russian statistics and the data from population sociological surveys.

RESULTS

The international and Russian data analysis showed recent positive trends in physical accessibility of medical care, measured in terms of healthcare resources However, the population’s opinion about changes in the physical accessibility of medical care is in stark contrast with the international and Russian statistical data. Population surveys indicate that the access to medical care in Russia have been and remain one of the main challenges of healthcare system. Moreover, the data from sociological studies indicate a decline in the accessibility of medical care. The views from the positions of all three studied institutions coincide with one — in recent years, the economic accessibility of medical care has been declining in Russia.

CONCLUSION

Considering the population’s opinion when developing a strategy and tactics for the medical care system highlights urgent challenges that, if solved, will increase the physical and economic accessibility of medical care, which in turn will contribute to improving the health of the population.