While American consumers have benefited from globalization – they are able to by cheaper product with good quality – the extent of globalization in healthcare industry has been very minimal. It prety much has been limited to buying drugs from Canada and to a small portion of medical tourism cases.
It seems silly to suggest globalization of something that is so personal. Afterall medicine is mostly a contact business. But there are practical ways to approach it while respecting the wishes of patients. There are alot of companies that are practising a significant amount of telemedicine with good success.
The globalization will improve quality, cut cost, and yes, it will improve access to care. It, however, will not be easy to globaize. The interest groups who are deadset against any government involvement in cost control, will vehementally oppose globalization too. Ironically, these are the same group who wants government to control the number of medical seats, etc. They want to control who should and should not practice medicine. But then when comes to public option, all of sudden they think government is getting too much involved in the business.
If globalization has helped all the industries that have tried, why should we not globalize healthcare? Why do we not hear more of discussion on healthcare globalization?
Are pundits afraid to use G word on this topic? Some of the key points that can facilitate globalization, according to Boston Globe, are:
1) Allow foreign trained doctors to practice in the USA.
2) Develop a more structured program for quality management.
3) Standardadized testing and certification globally.
4) Compensate foreign governments for brain drain
5) Globalize facilities
6)Develop a global foot print for care delivery
7) Improve cetification process for facilities.
8)……………………………………….
We at THT proposed similar arguement a while back in the beginning of the year. One model that THT proposed has been to segregate medicine in two groups. One would be such that the care for that could be planned, care is expensive, and it needs contacts with the patient. This could be outsourced. Other aspect such as primary care, emergencies, and some overly dangerous treatments would be done locally.
This frees up the facilities and resources to care better, saves the precious resources, and improves the cost. In a free market enterprise, this should be allowed. Where are those who believe in free market to push this case? AMA?, Hospitals?, Blue Dogs?, Insurers?, Conservatives? Boston Brahmins?
Any Body?!
9 users commented in " Why Are We Reluctant to Globalize Healthcare? "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackGlobalize it? We’re in a turf war over nationalizing some of it
What is so great about the idea of globalizing healthcare in the US? The US is the standard for all other quality healthcare delivery services within the globe. Yet, we are being challenged to reduce care, ration care, divert care, and now globalize care. The “free market” arguement is a non sequitor.
I’m not sure. I live in MA and we have universal healthcare that seems to be working pretty well. People should take a look at what MA is doing and make minor tweeks…
Some of the barriers to healthcare tourism is
- Perceived risk
- Inconsistent post operative care standards in lower cost health destinations
- Lack of information
- No insurance provision (people do not compare the full cost of procedure in US and elsewhere, rather they compare their deductible with the cost of travel for self and caregiver to destination in addition to cost of procedure). This does not turn out to be very cost effective.
Rudy,
How do you define best is the key question. If you have 45 million not being able to buy, that could not be best! In WHO analysis, we are not in top 10. What is your definition?
We are challenged to cut cost is because we have controlled market. Why globalization of every commodity has been good except healthcare? It has nothing to do with American competence but more to do with greed and ethics. There is no doubt if Americans put their mind to, they do a good job. As you know a significant amount of waste is just in cheating, hiding, milking the system etc.
DrMD if you are truly an MD and that is not just some not pseudonynm you would recognize that the cost is in practice administration and reimbursement collection, fraud, excess waste from governmental administration of Medicare/Medicaid, medical malpractice (which is not being addressed in the current reform discussion, and governmental regulation of insurance coverage (offering obstetrical services to advanced maternal age MALES or pre-diabetic services when pre-diabetes is confirmed not present). Non of that has anything to do witrh improved outcomes or quality of care. My definition is decidedly anecdotal…when Saudi prince and princess, who can afford to buy their healthcare from anywhere, come to the US for their “healthcare Mecca” then that is a clear indication that globalization begins and ends in the US. And, to your point, 45 million who can’t afford to buy healthcare, it’s 35 million who choose not to buy healthcare, 10 million can’t afford and they have unlimited access currently through EMTALA and other congressional regulations.
Rudy,
I understand your point. I however am not sure the relationship with the article. My comments were about how you think the we have the world class health system. You seem to think that criterian is rich people chosing to come here for cure. It will just like saying that some rich people come for dinner in this country and that alone is a reason to think that we have none to little poverty. Your analogy about 10 million is same as telling that they get food stamps. Just think that food stamp does not change the fact that these people cannot afford food.
I 100% agree with you observation about waste and other things.
Give it few years and this will change. Medical Tourism is for real
Healthcare will be one of the latest playfields where we will see globalization.
Even in the EU with its manigfold harmonization (common market, common labour market, open borders, etc.) healthcare markets still are very different as social insurances are very different. And governments don’t like to harmonize (public) social insurance.
Medical tourism is an exception as its more a question of tourism than of healthcare. It’s pure private business so far.
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