The Quality of Health Care in America at the end of the 20th century
"Hundreds of thousands of Americans die unnecessarily and many
more Costs Up but Quality Poor. Harvard University and the Rand Corporation tells us... 180,000 people die each year because of medically induced injury or negligence! "Autopsy studies show high rates, 35% to 40 percent of missed diagnosis, often resulting in death." Read the full story below... Washington, Reuters
"Our country's health care system, which was described as in crisis in the early 1990's has, ....actually become worse", said president Henry Sommons. The NCHC, which includes 100 organizations from the American College of Physicians to companies such as Bethlehem Steel Corporation, unions, insurance companies and religious groups, said urgent action was needed. "In the absence of effective oversight, the marketplace is not taking care of the problems," said Robert Ray, co-chairman of the coalition. "Our health care system needs major systemic changes if this country is going to provide high-quality, cost effective health care for all." A study by the Rand Corporation think-tank found millions of Americans had been injured and tens of thousands had died because of significant misuse, overuse and underuse of health services. "There are high error rates reported in a wide range of medical practices with serious, sometimes fatal consequences," a summary of the study said. "Autopsy studies show high rates (35 to 40 percent) of missed diagnosis, often resulting in death." It cites a Harvard University study which estimated 180,000 people die each year because of medically induced injury or negligence. The Rand report found "major gaps in knowledge" were contributing to medical uncertainty. "The evidence to justify treatment of even the most common medical and surgical conditions is often questionable," it said. "This includes common conditions as prostate cancer and lower back pain, which affects millions of people. There were large variations between regions, but no evidence to show people had better access to hospital and doctors or fared any better. A study the coalition commissioned by Kenneth Thorpe, director of Tulane University's Institute for Health Service Research, found health care costs were increasing at twice the rate of inflation. "In 1987 we were spending just less than $500 billion a year
on health care. |