Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

5 things that make U.S. health care great

Suneel Dhand, MD
Policy
August 5, 2014
47 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

Anyone from outer space reading the news and watching TV would think that the U.S. has some of the worst health care possible. The negativity appears to be pervasive. Controversy over this, outrage over that. Whether it’s inadequate health outcomes, policy debate, or scandals with patient care, the stories and discussion abound.

As someone who grew up and went to medical school overseas and then came to the U.S. for medical residency (along with many others), I find some of this baffling. Let’s start first by agreeing that, yes, the U.S. health care system has big problems. But then, what health care system doesn’t? I’ve seen first-hand the systems in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and India, and am yet to find one which is perfect. The U.S. health care system compared with other Western nations probably struggles most with inequity and access. Yet at the same time, U.S. hospitals are undoubtedly some of the most advanced in the world. To balance out all the negative that we hear about, I’d like to point out 5 things that make U.S. health care — and particularly hospitals — great:

1. Rapid access to what you need. When you are in hospital, whatever you need is easily accessible and you are more likely to get a rapid diagnosis than in most other countries. Whether it’s a scan, specialist opinion, or other invasive treatment, U.S. hospitals will get what you need quickly, often within hours.

2. Patient choice and empowerment. Being patient-centered is more than just a buzzword. It’s the reality all across the nations’ hospitals. Patients are empowered to ask questions, seek second opinions, and if needed, complain, to an entity that will listen to them. This is not the case in many nationalized systems that adopt a more paternalistic approach. Along the same lines, we take it as a given that we have choice as to what hospital we go to and which doctor sees us.

3. Comfortable environment. Hospitals are more comfortable and accommodating than almost anywhere else in the world. It’s not uncommon in other developed countries to have a dozen or so patients in a single large room. Some industrialized countries still struggle with separating male and female patients into different rooms, a basic matter of dignity denied. While we still want to make hospitals even better, for instance with less noise and more palatable food, let’s not forget how far ahead we are too.

4. Statistics. A lot of the endemic chronic diseases in society are ironically a consequence of the wealth of the country, such as overeating and lack of exercise (everyone has a car, so why walk?). A case perhaps of your biggest strength also being your biggest weakness. Casting aside the bad statistics, which can certainly improve, did you know that the U.S. has some of the best statistics in the world for surviving a heart attack, stroke, and cancer? According to one study in Lancet from 2007, American women have a 63% chance of surviving at least 5 years after a cancer diagnosis compared to 56% for European women. For American men, it’s 66% compared to 47% for European men.

5. Research, innovation and entrepreneurship. American university-affiliated hospitals lead the world in research and development. From life-saving medications developed by U.S. companies to procedures such as heart stents, many of the world’s newest drugs and technologies are developed right here, with millions benefiting from them. Talking a little about physician entrepreneurship, many people see this as a double-edged sword. If it leads to inappropriate prescribing, it is of course a bad thing. But when it leads to innovation and cutting edge new technologies and treatments, what’s wrong with physician entrepreneurs? This drive and motivation is lacking in many Western countries with more centralized systems.

Taking things for granted is part of human nature. Does U.S. health care have major problems to fix? Absolutely. The cost of the system is unsustainable in the long term and we have to improve access for everyone. But we start from a good position. Looking at crude health care statistics such as countries’ ranking can sometimes be misleading and skew certain positive and negatives.

I’d like to leave you with one thought that I would challenge anyone who has been to hospitals in other parts of the world to ponder over, and particularly relevant when one of the biggest complaints about U.S. health care is about inequality: A homeless American entering the doors of a hospital with an acute medical issue — be it sepsis, a myocardial infarction, or a stroke — will get better care than a rich person almost anywhere else in the world.

Anyone disagree?

Suneel Dhand is an internal medicine physician and author of Thomas Jefferson: Lessons from a Secret Buddha and High Percentage Wellness Steps: Natural, Proven, Everyday Steps to Improve Your Health & Well-being.  He blogs at his self-titled site, Suneel Dhand.

Prev

Giving terrible news to those we love

August 5, 2014 Kevin 3
…
Next

Stop comparing depression to diabetes

August 5, 2014 Kevin 11
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Giving terrible news to those we love
Next Post >
Stop comparing depression to diabetes

More by Suneel Dhand, MD

  • The dream patient that makes a doctor very happy

    Suneel Dhand, MD
  • When the family wants to speak to the doctor

    Suneel Dhand, MD
  • 3 reasons why patients are unhappy

    Suneel Dhand, MD

More in Policy

  • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

    Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN
  • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

    Mohammed Umer Waris, MD
  • Breaking down the barriers to effective bar-code medication administration

    Amy Dang Craft
  • The locums industry has a beef problem

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD
  • Canada’s health workers are sounding the alarm. We must act, now.

    Ivy Lynn Bourgeault, PhD
  • Race categorizations are worsening health inequities for the South West Asian North African (SWANA) communities

    Guleer Shahab, MPH
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Why are doctors sued and politicians aren’t?

      Kellie Lease Stecher, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • 5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer

      Kevin Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Unlock the power of physician compensation data in contract negotiations [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • From pennies to attending salaries: Why physicians should teach their kids financial literacy

      Michele Cho-Dorado, MD | Finance
    • From solidarity to co-liberation: Understanding the journey towards ending oppression

      Maiysha Clairborne, MD | Physician
    • Changing the pediatric care landscape: Integrating behavioral and mental health care

      Hilary M. Bowers, MD | Conditions
    • Contract Diagnostics is the only firm 100 percent dedicated to physician contract reviews

      Contract Diagnostics | Sponsored

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 6 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Pregnant, Black? Here's Your Drug Test
  • Progestin-Only Birth Control Linked to Small Increase in Breast Cancer Risk
  • Fatty Acid Tube Feeding May Backfire for Preemie Breathing Disorder
  • Case Reports Detail Vision Loss Linked to Recalled Artificial Tears
  • Admin Trumps Med Students: Anti-Abortion Group Allowed on Campus

Meeting Coverage

  • Outlook for Itchy Prurigo Nodularis Continues to Improve With IL-31 Antagonist
  • AAAAI President Shares Highlights From the 2023 Meeting
  • Second-Line Sacituzumab Govitecan Promising in Platinum-Ineligible UC
  • Trial of Novel TYK2 Inhibitor Hits Its Endpoint in Plaque Psoriasis
  • Durable Vitiligo Responses With Topical Ruxolitinib
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Why are doctors sued and politicians aren’t?

      Kellie Lease Stecher, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • 5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer

      Kevin Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Unlock the power of physician compensation data in contract negotiations [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • From pennies to attending salaries: Why physicians should teach their kids financial literacy

      Michele Cho-Dorado, MD | Finance
    • From solidarity to co-liberation: Understanding the journey towards ending oppression

      Maiysha Clairborne, MD | Physician
    • Changing the pediatric care landscape: Integrating behavioral and mental health care

      Hilary M. Bowers, MD | Conditions
    • Contract Diagnostics is the only firm 100 percent dedicated to physician contract reviews

      Contract Diagnostics | Sponsored

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

5 things that make U.S. health care great
6 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...