Britain set to surpass USA on health care.

[afleitch]

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=6980772&section=news

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is on course to surpass the United States and could have the best health system in the world, an American health strategist said on Thursday.
Dr Donald Berwick, of the non-profit Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in the United States, said both countries face similar problems in bettering the health services they provides, but Britain is more likely to succeed.

"The biggest reason is simple," Berwick said in an editorial in the journal Quality and Safety in Health Care.

"The UK has people in charge of its health care -- people with the clear duty and much of the authority to take on the challenge of changing the system as a whole."

But in the United States the health service as a nation is leaderless and chaotic, he added.


Fantastic news

[Richard]

Everyone knows Canada has the best healthcare system in the world.

[John Dibble]

Everyone knows Canada has the best healthcare system in the world.

Which is why many Canadians cross the border for medical business.


On the topic at hand, I'd like to hear from more than a single expert. It could easily be that this guy is just an advocate of socialized medicine.

[Hatman 🍁]

How did the US get to be number one? I heard Cuba of all countries rivalled the US system cuz it was so sh**tty. When you have to mortage your house to get a new kidney, you got problems. You don't see any poor people crossing the border to get new kidneys, that's for sure.

[Platypus]

Everyone knows Canada has the best healthcare system in the world.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

*breath*

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[John Dibble]

How did the US get to be number one? I heard Cuba of all countries rivalled the US system cuz it was so sh**tty. When you have to mortage your house to get a new kidney, you got problems. You don't see any poor people crossing the border to get new kidneys, that's for sure.

Cost does not define quality.

[Platypus]

America has the best quality healthcare, but in terms of best quality healthcare available to very citizen, i'd be Australia, although Canada is alright-but due to factors including underfunding, it doesn't meet Australia.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

At very least the U.S needs a network of State-Owned Hospitals in poor areas.

Especially McDowell County (which really *does* have third world healthcare...)

[AuH2O]

Well, there is the public health service. I think Bush proposed to reexpand their operations during the campaign.

Still, A LOT of healthcare is received for little or no money in the US.

The main problem are the insurance companies and HMOs that the government is beholden to. If there was real competition, the system would work better. Still, Britain is not even close to the US... not even close to being close. In the case of dental care, the gap is particularly huge. Ditto for ICU performance.

[Richard]

I think some people failed to see the sarcasm.  Would a guy with a blue avatar ever say a public healthcare system is good?

Look: 17% of Canadians don't even have a doctor!!  That translates into an equivalent of about 50 million Americans if the same percentage hold.

Lets not even talk about the years of waiting there is to get specialized treatment.

[Hatman 🍁]

Your avartar means nothing, as many Conservative politicians in Canada would say our health care system is one of the best in the world.  It is true though that it isn't, especially for the wealthy. 

[Erc]

You limit the price (or, more importantly in a public-run service, the wages), quantity and quality go down.  My, what a surprise.

End result:  The distribution of healthcare services is more equitable...but fewer people get worse coverage.

And then you get a black market for the rich folks, creating inequality and siphoning off the best talent.

Great job there, rest of the world...

[Platypus]

I'd prefer the aussie system over yours anyday, Erc.