The country's health service has moved up 15 places in the Euro Health Consumer Index since the HSE's health transformation programme started in 2006.
In 2006, Ireland's health service was ranked 28th out of 29 European countries surveyed.
Ireland is ranked 13th out of 33 European health services in the Euro Health Consumer Index Report published today.
The Netherlands tops the index with 875 of a possible 1,000 points. Ireland scored 701 points.
The report points out that the Irish health service has been steadily climbing in the EHCI and that 'the creation of the Health Service Executive was obviously a much-needed reform'.
Commenting on the result, HSE Chief Executive Professor Brendan Drumm said: 'This year's ranking shows that our modernisation programme is working. Health care staff should be pleased.
'I am particularly pleased that we are making significant improvement in the Health Outcomes category which corresponds with the data that shows people in Ireland are living longer.'
Of the seven Health Outcome measures, Ireland scored top marks in four of them; infant death per 1000, cancer five-year survival, preventable years of life lost per 100,000 in the 0-69 group, and percentage of diabetic population of patients with HbA1c levels above seven.
The area where Ireland performs poorest in is e-health, such as electronic transfer of medical data between professionals, e-prescriptions and lab tests electronically communicated to patients.
The HSE says it is recognised that improvement in this area requires ongoing development and investment.
