Study finds U.S. last in healthcare

William Atkins
Thursday, 24 June 2010 23:36

Science - Health

A study conducted by the non-profit group Commonwealth Fund found that out of seven developed countries in the world, the United States was ranked seventh (last) overall in health care, while Australia was third.

 

The June 23, 2010 Commonwealth Fund article 'Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: How the Performance of the U.S. Health Care System Compares Internationally, 2010 Update' discusses the results of the health care study.

The study found that people in the United States pay nearly twice as much for health care as people in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

However, even though U.S. citizens pay almost double for their health care, the United States was ranked last of the seven developed countries in the study.

The Commonwealth Fund used data from the 2007 International Health Policy Survey, the 2008 International Health Policy Survey of Sicker Adults, and the 2009 International Health Policy Survey of Primary Care Physicians.

The Commonwealth Fund article states 'Despite having the most costly health system in the world, the United States consistently underperforms on most dimensions of performance, relative to other countries.'

It also says, 'Among the seven nations studied ... the U.S. ranks last overall, as it did in the 2007, 2006, and 2004 editions of Mirror, Mirror.'

Page two concludes.