Biggest Problem with US Healthcare?

[Szkwicz]

I know this is a very popular interview question from checking out a few sites and I was wondering what people's thoughts were on this. What is the biggest problem in our healthcare system?? Is there any way to go about fixing it?
I guess I'm just afraid of being asked this one, I don't know what I'd say.
Thanks yo.

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[MorningLight2100]

Personally, inadequate care for the indigent troubles me. Medicaid tries to cover the medical expenses of the poor, but there's always that fuzzy gray area between the capability of affording insurance and eligibility for federal aid. The other end of the spectrum, complete socialization, is equally problematic as it offers no incentive to prevent waste of medical care, and results in waiting lists and queues out the door. I've read a proposal for a medical system for which the government provides for care "to a decent minimum standard," and that any expenses after that expand into the private sector. This sort of framework seems promising to me, but the main issue I have with the model is how one DEFINES a decent minimum standard. We might run into more fuzzy gray lines.

The continued commercialization of care and the decreased amount of time that a given physician may spend with a patient also concern me.

What does everyone else think?

 

[Atlas]

I agree.

 

[C U in MD school]

I think that one of the biggest problems is the underserved pts'
in this country be spent the most money on our health system yet we have the worst outcomes. for example last year we spent 18% of GNP on health care (more than any other nation) yet our pts' oucomes were horrible. we are ranked 13 (out of 15) in world as having a bad health care system. the soln? u got me.

 

[Gator]

I agree with the above statements. It is sad that we live in the richest country and have all this technology and advanced knowledge at our finger tips yet we can not fix the fundamental issues concerning our country. Just my 2 cents.

 

[jdub]

a big reason that are health care is so expensive is because of our technology and its use.

technology along with crazy and unrestricted prescription and an increasingly older population just adds up very quickly.

 

[EW1779]

i am really impressed with the responses to this topic!!! wow, i feel honored to be among such company....with well thought-out responses like that, you'll all get in for sure. awesome.

 

[Resident Alien]

I think a major problem is a more informed patient.

 

[SIXTHSENSE]

It seems to me that the problem is that major medical decisions are being made by paper pushers.

 

[SMW]

Originally posted by Resident Alien:
•I think a major problem is a more informed patient. •

Resident Alien, do you mean that you think it's a problem that people are more informed, or that you think it's a problem that people aren't more informed?

 

[Resident Alien]

Originally posted by SMW:
•Resident Alien, do you mean that you think it's a problem that people are more informed, or that you think it's a problem that people aren't more informed? •

I think what i mean is that the flood of information available to all today, as compared to decades ago, has created a situation where the doc. also has to deal with the patient's own assumed knowledge of his situation. Im not saying this is a critical problem we should solve, just that perhaps knowing so much is turning bad at times.


Its funny at times.

 

[SMW]

Well, it may not be an unmitigated blessing, but I have to say that I think it's important for people to take responsibility for their own health. I know that for myself, many times being fully informed of my options and doing some research on my own is the only thing that's gotten me decent medical care. All these informed patients keep doctors on their toes, which can only be good. A good doctor should not be threatened by a knowledgeable patient.

 

[Resident Alien]

Originally posted by SMW:
•Well, it may not be an unmitigated blessing, but I have to say that I think it's important for people to take responsibility for their own health. I know that for myself, many times being fully informed of my options and doing some research on my own is the only thing that's gotten me decent medical care. All these informed patients keep doctors on their toes, which can only be good. A good doctor should not be threatened by a knowledgeable patient.•

You're right, but sometimes, too much is too bad.

 

[kutastha]

Well, since a lot of information we'd learn in medical school is available to anyone with a modem, I think proper communication between doctor, patient and insurance companies can only benefit all involved. I personally have had too many times where I was telling the doctor what was wrong with me, and he would just deny it. It was so frustrating.

And one thing I've always wondered about is if doctors could take patients on a pro bono basis, similar to how lawyers do.

Andrew

 

[USeF]

All 5 of the top 5 biggest killers in America are preventable diseases (non-infectious).

On the one hand, this is great that we aren't getting knocked out by a bug. On the other hand, why isn't there a larger emphasis on educating the population from a young age (elem. school onwards)? How good lifestyle choices lead to a life of improved health, greater productivity, less susceptibility to disease, happier families etc.. We need to continue to attach disease from BOTH sides, not just after it has appeared, but to PREVENT it from arising in the first place.
The analogy that that I always tell people to explain preventive medicine is this:

Disease is like a leak in the ceiling. What do we do to take care of it? In the west, we have invented all shapes, colors, and sizes of buckets to place on the floor. Sometimes multiple buckets, buckets with sponges in them to 'deafen' the leak and so on. But how many people are taking the time to get a ladder and patch up the root of disease? This is what preventive medicine does. We need to train a proportional number of specialists to deal with BOTh sides of disease.. not 50/50, but an ample amount nonetheless.

*steps out of interview mode*

 

[gooloogooloo]

Resident Alien,

are you a green card holder? If so, can you tell me that will admission committee judge legal resident differently from US citizen? Will they limit the enrollment to US citizen?

I am a PR too.

Gary