At a time when the United States spends more than double what other countries spend for medical care--$6,697 per capita in 2005--a new Commonwealth Fund seven-nation survey published Nov. 1 as a Health Affairs web exclusive finds that U.S. patients are more likely to report experiencing medical errors, to go without care because of costs, and to say that the healthcare system needs to be rebuilt completely.
In the survey of 12,000 adults in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, one-third of U.S. adults called for rebuilding the system--the highest rate in any country surveyed. Adults in all seven countries said that they place high value on having a relationship with a regular source of primary health care that is accessible and coordinates their care. Read the abstract.
