America's Healthcare System is the Third Leading Cause of Death
***
Barbara Starfield, M.D. (2000)
****
Summary by Kah Ying Choo
This Journal of the American Medical Association article illuminates the
failure of the U.S. medical system in providing decent medical care for
Americans.
**
In spite of the rising health care costs that provide the illusion of
improving health care, the American people do not enjoy good health,
compared with their counterparts in the industrialized nations.* Among
thirteen countries including Japan, Sweden, France and Canada, the U.S.
was ranked 12th, based on the measurement of 16 health indicators such as
life expectancy, low-birth-weight averages and infant mortality.* In
another comparison reported by the World Health Organization that used a
different set of health indicators, the U.S. also fared poorly with a
ranking of 15 among 25 industrialized nations.
Although many people attribute poor health to the bad habits of the
American public, Starfield (2000) points out that the Americans do not
lead an unhealthy lifestyle compared to their counterparts.* For example,
only 28 percent of the male population in the U.S. smoked, thus making it
the third best nation in the category of smoking among the 13
industrialized nations.* The U.S. population also achieved a high ranking
(5th best) for alcohol consumption.* In the category of men aged 50 to 70
years, the U.S. had the third lowest mean cholesterol concentrations among
13 industrialized nations. Therefore, the perception that the American
public’s poor health is a result of their negative health habits is
false.
Even more significantly, the medical system has played a large role in
undermining the health of Americans.* According to several research
studies in the last decade, a total of 225,000 Americans per year have
died as a result of their medical treatments: ****
• 12,000 deaths per year due to unnecessary surgery
• 7000 deaths per year due to medication errors in hospitals
• 20,000 deaths per year due to other errors in hospitals
• 80,000 deaths per year due to infections in hospitals
• 106,000 deaths per year due to negative effects of drugs
****
Thus, America's healthcare-system-induced deaths are the third leading
cause of the death in the U.S., after heart disease and cancer.
****
One of the key problems of the U.S. health system is that as many as 40
million people in the U.S. do not have access to healthcare.* The social
and economic inequalities that are an integral part of American society
are mirrored in the inequality of access to the health care system.*
Essentially, families of low socioeconomic status are cut off from
receiving a decent level of health care.
By citing these statistics, Starfield (2000) highlights the need to
examine the type of health care provided to the U.S. population.* The
traditional medical paradigm that emphasizes the use of prescription
medicine and medical treatment has not only failed to improve the health
of Americans, but also led to the decline in the overall well-being of
Americans.* Starfield’s (2000) comparison of the medical systems of Japan
and the U.S. captures the fundamental differences in the treatment
approach.* Unlike the U.S., Japan has the healthiest population among the
industrialized nations.* Instead of relying on sophisticated technology
and professional personnel for medical treatment as in the U.S., Japan
uses its technology solely for diagnostic purposes.* Furthermore, in
Japan, family members, rather than hospital staff, are involved in caring
for the patients.
The success of the Japanese medical system testifies to the dire need for
Americans to alter their philosophical approach towards health and
treatment.* In the blind reliance on drugs, surgery, technology and
medical establishments, the American medical system has inflicted more
harm than good on the U.S. population.* Starfield’s (2000) article is
invaluable in unveiling the catastrophic effects of the medical treatments
provided to the American people.* In order to improve the medical system,
American policymakers and the medical establishment need to adopt a
comprehensive approach and critically examine the failure of the richest
country in the world to provide decent health care for its people.* The
reason that they have difficulty doing that is explained on the following
page.
Starfield, B. (2000, July 26). Is US health really the best in the world?
Journal of the American Medical Association, 284(4), 483-485.
http://www.health-care-reform.net/causedeath.htm
America's Healthcare System is the Third Leading Cause of Death
***
Barbara Starfield, M.D. (2000)
****
Summary by Kah Ying Choo
This Journal of the American Medical Association article illuminates the
failure of the U.S. medical system in providing decent medical care for
Americans.
**
In spite of the rising health care costs that provide the illusion of
improving health care, the American people do not enjoy good health,
compared with their counterparts in the industrialized nations.* Among
thirteen countries including Japan, Sweden, France and Canada, the U.S.
was ranked 12th, based on the measurement of 16 health indicators such as
life expectancy, low-birth-weight averages and infant mortality.* In
another comparison reported by the World Health Organization that used a
different set of health indicators, the U.S. also fared poorly with a
ranking of 15 among 25 industrialized nations.
Although many people attribute poor health to the bad habits of the
American public, Starfield (2000) points out that the Americans do not
lead an unhealthy lifestyle compared to their counterparts.* For example,
only 28 percent of the male population in the U.S. smoked, thus making it
the third best nation in the category of smoking among the 13
industrialized nations.* The U.S. population also achieved a high ranking
(5th best) for alcohol consumption.* In the category of men aged 50 to 70
years, the U.S. had the third lowest mean cholesterol concentrations among
13 industrialized nations. Therefore, the perception that the American
public’s poor health is a result of their negative health habits is
false.
Even more significantly, the medical system has played a large role in
undermining the health of Americans.* According to several research
studies in the last decade, a total of 225,000 Americans per year have
died as a result of their medical treatments: ****
• 12,000 deaths per year due to unnecessary surgery
• 7000 deaths per year due to medication errors in hospitals
• 20,000 deaths per year due to other errors in hospitals
• 80,000 deaths per year due to infections in hospitals
• 106,000 deaths per year due to negative effects of drugs
****
Thus, America's healthcare-system-induced deaths are the third leading
cause of the death in the U.S., after heart disease and cancer.
****
One of the key problems of the U.S. health system is that as many as 40
million people in the U.S. do not have access to healthcare.* The social
and economic inequalities that are an integral part of American society
are mirrored in the inequality of access to the health care system.*
Essentially, families of low socioeconomic status are cut off from
receiving a decent level of health care.
By citing these statistics, Starfield (2000) highlights the need to
examine the type of health care provided to the U.S. population.* The
traditional medical paradigm that emphasizes the use of prescription
medicine and medical treatment has not only failed to improve the health
of Americans, but also led to the decline in the overall well-being of
Americans.* Starfield’s (2000) comparison of the medical systems of Japan
and the U.S. captures the fundamental differences in the treatment
approach.* Unlike the U.S., Japan has the healthiest population among the
industrialized nations.* Instead of relying on sophisticated technology
and professional personnel for medical treatment as in the U.S., Japan
uses its technology solely for diagnostic purposes.* Furthermore, in
Japan, family members, rather than hospital staff, are involved in caring
for the patients.
The success of the Japanese medical system testifies to the dire need for
Americans to alter their philosophic
