An article released November 9th compared the U.S. to 10 other countries and found that care is more costly and not as good as most of the comparison countries
The United States ranks near the bottom of many measures in caring for the sickest patients compared to other nations, according to a study of 11 economically advanced countries released 11/09/11 by the Commonwealth Fund.
This work was published on the Health Affairs website and was based on patient reported data regarding their care.
American patients bear much more cost than in the other countries. 42% of seriuosly ill patients say they skipped care because of cost.
One of the most alarming results was the United States had one of the worst track records on medical errors. Twenty-two percent of seriously ill patients reported experiencing an error with their care, medication or a lab test in the past two years. Only Norway did worse, with 25 percent of patients reporting medical errors.
On this blog we have reported a study done by Health and Human Serices showing at least 15000 Medicare patients die of iatrogenic(caregiver induced injuries) every month. This patient reported data is actually consistent,therefore, with what this and other studies have found.
The above is all the more reason that we must transform the healthcare industry in this country. As I have outlined in a new book which will be released in January entitled Lifeline: a Collaborative Cure for Healthcare, the focus of the industry should be placed on three key components. They are care delivery redesign to reduce errors and cost, payment systems that reward value(Q/C), and transparency of healthcare performance data so patients can make informed choices. This suggestion is not based on esoteric theory but on real experience in Wisconsin and the remarkable results the payer,provider,government, and employer communities have achieved with these approaches.
To read the study, click here
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