Barack Obama, USA President, at a recent press conference condemned the existing Healthcare system in the country and attacked it for wasteful expenditure incurred on account of it. Thomson Reuters has endorsed the stand vis-à-vis US Healthcare system taken by USA President and wants the proposed reforms to be introduced at the earliest to arrest the deficiencies and shortcomings, preventing errors accompanied with fight against corruption widespread in the system.
As per the report released by Robert Kelley, Vice-President of Healthcare Analytics at Thomson Reuters, US Healthcare system is responsible for incurring unnecessary expenditure ranging between US $505 billion to $850 billion every year.
Improvement Needed in US Healthcare, Reveals an International Survey
An international survey has pointed out that US healthcare needs major improvement in both access and quality, even though expenditure on healthcare may be double that of other developed nations.
An international survey has pointed out that US healthcare needs major improvement in both access and quality, even though expenditure on healthcare may be double that of other developed nations.
In this report which is a matter of grave concern, Kelley has estimated approximately 700 billion US dollars forms an inevitable part of this wasteful expenditure that accounts for one-third of country’s healthcare bill.
The positive aspect of this report is that by tackling the wastes escalation of healthcare costs can be drastically reduced without affecting the quality of healthcare or access to such facilities across USA.
Report Says NHS is a Better System That US Healthcare
The Commonwealth Fund report has said that the NHS in Britain is better that health services in other countries including America
The Commonwealth Fund report has said that the NHS in Britain is better that health services in other countries including America
This report stresses the importance of wasteful expenditure arising on account of duplication of tests by various healthcare providers. The results of a particular investigation report recorded are not made available to the other healthcare provider. Administration of inappropriate treatment to an individual by the medical fraternity due to non-accessability of past-medical history records is another classic example of wasteful expenditure.
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US Lawmakers Aim To Make Quality, Affordable Health Care Available To All Americans
Democratic lawmakers took a first step toward fulfilling President Barack Obama's promise to overhaul healthcare, outlining a plan to insure around 46 million Americans without coverage, says report.
Democratic lawmakers took a first step toward fulfilling President Barack Obama's promise to overhaul healthcare, outlining a plan to insure around 46 million Americans without coverage, says report.
For providing protection against the exposure of rampart malpractice that is widely prevalent, over-usage of antibiotics and unnecessary lab tests account for 37% of healthcare expenditure that accounts for $200 to $300 billion a year.
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U.S. Doesn't Always Trump Other Countries In Quality Of Health Care
Canada’s health care system often figures in the debate about overhauling the U.S. system, mentioned by both critics and supporters.
Canada’s health care system often figures in the debate about overhauling the U.S. system, mentioned by both critics and supporters.
Shortfalls in operational capabilities and irrelevant paper-work accounting for 18% of healthcare expenditure
Medical inaccuracies accounts for 11% of the total pie accounting for account for $50 billion to $100 billion of irrelevant expenditure.
Conditions that can be prevented for example uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus accounts for $30 billion to $50 billion a year.
The report while giving citations from dozens of other research papers mentions that an average US hospital spends one-quarter of its annual budgetary allocation towards medical and administration which is a significant expenditure twice the average than that of Canada.
Reporting a quote from a research article that appeared in New England Journal of Medicine (2003 edition) by Harvard University researcher Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, it mentions that American physicians spend nearly eight hours per week on paper-work employing 1.66 clerical work per doctor which is significant in comparison to Canadian healthcare system.
The report takes into consideration of lacking of adequate facilities by primary-care doctors resulting in unnecessary usage and wasteful expenditure on emergency rooms.
All the aforesaid reasons lend credibility as to why Americans spend more per capita, thereby resulting in highest percentage of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) on Healthcare as compared to any other OECD country. To add insult to injury, USA has an alarming rate of unhealthy population suffering from diabetes, obesity, heart disease and higher rates of neonatal deaths as compared to other developed nations, which is of prime importance.
Democratic Senator Charles Schumer is confident that Senate Democratic leaders would be able to initiate reform of the country's $2.5 trillion healthcare system, which would usher in sweeping changes in existing US Healthcare system which is in total doldrums in the currently prevailing scenario.
Source-Medindia
SAM
