Healthcare Systems : Apples and oranges, Elephants and Kitten
Comparing “Healthcare services” among countries with different political systems and sizes of countries, their population (culture) and quality of life including inherent genetic makeup of the population, is a daunting task and is sometimes simply not possible using the same gauge. It becomes more like comparing talents of a Kitten versus an Elephant, or between apple and oranges. Here is a reason why I say so :
“Healthcare Services” are adjudged on following major criteria :
- Accessibility (Public Health)
- Affordability (Cost)
- Quality of Medical Service
- Definition of “Health” and “Healthcare Service” ( Most Important)
Comparing countries like US, Zimbabwe, UK, South Africa, Cuba, Singapore, China, India, Australia and Pakistan in the same basket with similar criteria would be a blunder.
In some countries there is nothing like “Healthcare System” or even Public Health! Socialists, Communists, Democrats, Republicans and all in between have their own “definitions” of Health and Healthcare services.
I often come across people comparing US healthcare to other countries like Canada, UK (NIH) that are in different ends of spectrum, India (in between US and UK) while underdeveloped and backward countries lack even a well defined Healthcare System. Comparing healthcare systems of countries with similar size but different political systems like Cuba and Singapore, too is not a good idea.
Defining “Value” in a Healthcare Service is again a very subjective and localized function; limited to sub-populations or cohorts, geographies based on definitions of Health, Healthcare, Value of Healthcare Service and culture.
Population Healthcare Management is the tool and technique employed by Providers, Payers, Public Health Administrators and Political leaders to address this problem.
I plan to start a blog series on Healthcare Systems of different countries in near future.
