National Post features Liberal MP: "The biggest hindrance to better health care is our own illusions

[sorrywrongemail]

Keith Martin: The biggest hindrance to better health care is our own illusions
Posted: April 07, 2009, 8:30 AM by NP Editor

Contrary to public opinion, Canada does not have “the best health care system in the world.” We actually rank 26th, and yet have the fifth-highest expenditures for health care. So, which countries fare better than us, and why? The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) just examined this question and came up with some fascinating findings.

Of the world’s top 20 national health care systems, 17 are European. These word leaders share some common traits: They all have mixed systems that combine both public and private providers; everyone is covered; no one is hurt financially when they fall ill; and there is the widespread use of information technology, which improves efficiency and reduces errors and cost.

In some European countries, prescriptions are no longer written — rather, all prescribed courses of treatment are entered into a computerized database which ensures less drug abuse, fewer administrative errors and greater oversight and transparency.

Also, the efficient integration of public and private services has actually drawn on the strengths of both systems to ensure that patients get the care they need without being hurt financially. This has enabled countries to even expand coverage to include global prescription drug coverage.

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http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/04/07/keith-martin-the-biggest-hindrance-to-better-health-care-is-our-own-illusions.aspx

My letter to the editor:

Every time the National Post features a guest columnist who extols the European system,
they always seem to get someone who advocates something that looks very much like the US
system that they've railed against, in the hopes of convincing Canadians to embrace private
health-care.

The aspects they miss in the various European system include non-profit insurance companies,
universal drug care, universal dental care, and universal eye care, amongst other things.

Why don't they ever advocate for that?

[IntravenousDemilo]

1. Well, Keith Martin is SORT OF a Liberal MP. Let's not forget with whom he came to Ottawa. n/m

[Spazito]

2. The National Post should be begging for buyers...

seeing as CanWest is going down the financial tubes, staring at bankruptcy big time. The National Post, being a rabid right wing rag, is one of the reasons, among many, CanWest is in trouble and publishing shit like this is a perfect example.

[daleo]

3. National Post - "The biggest hindrance to quality journalism is our illusions"

We think that publishing a money losing newspaper that nobody reads is a successful journalistic achievement. Sadly, we are deluded propagandists.