The Wrong Place to Be Chronically Ill - NYTim...

[Guest guest]

> November 18, 2008

> Editorial

>

> The Wrong Place to Be Chronically Ill

>

> Chronically ill Americans suffer far worse care than their counterparts in

> seven other industrial nations, according to a new study by the Commonwealth F

> und, a New York-based foundation that has pioneered in international

> comparisons. It is the latest telling evidence that the dysfunctional American

health

> care system badly needs reform.

>

> The results of the study, published by the respected journal Health Affairs,

> belie the notion held by many American politicians that health care in this

> country is the best in the world. That may be true at a handful of

> pre-eminent medical centers, but it is hardly true for the care provided to a

huge

> portion of the population.

>

> The Commonwealth Fund’s survey of 7,500 patients in Australia, Canada,

> France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Britain and the United States

> focused on patients who suffered from at least one of seven chronic

conditions:

> hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, lung problems, cancer or

> depression.

>

> The care they received in this country — or more often did not receive —

> ought to be a cause for shame. More than half of the American patients went

> without care because of high out-of-pocket costs. They did not visit a doctor

> when sick, skipped a recommended test or treatment or failed to fill a

> prescription. The uninsured suffered most, but even 43 percent of those who

had

> insurance all year skipped care because of costs.

>

> Americans also were most likely to report wasting time because their care

> was so poorly organized. About a third reported that medical records and test

> results were not available when needed or that tests were duplicated

> unnecessarily. A third experienced a medical error, such as being given the

wrong

> medication or test results. Some 40 percent found it very difficult to get

> after-hours care without going to an emergency room.

>

> The United States did comparatively well in some areas, such as providing

> relatively prompt access to specialists and clear instructions to patients

> leaving the hospital. But the nation’s overall performance was abysmal.

>

> By contrast, Dutch patients reported far more favorable experiences with

> their health care system, largely because the Netherlands provides universal

> coverage (through individual mandates and private health insurance), a strong

> primary care system and widespread use of electronic medical records. It

should

> be possible to achieve the same level of performance here.

>

>

>

>

**************

One site has it all. Your email accounts, your social networks,

and the things you love. Try the new AOL.com

today!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212962939x1200825291/aol?redir=h\

ttp://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp

%26icid=aolcom40vanity%26ncid=emlcntaolcom00000001)