From Medpage: Public Health & Policy
Medical Care vs. Population Health
David Nash, MD, explains why the U.S. gets so little
bang for its healthcare buck
"We spend more money on healthcare in our country than any other
nation on the planet," said David Nash, MD, founding dean of
Jefferson College of Population Health in Philadelphia, who
shared why population health is important in this exclusive
MedPage Today video interview.
Despite massive spending, the U.S. ranks 17th in the world
in quality of life measures and overall well-being of the population,
Nash added.
Why? Because medical care has only a limited impact on a given
individual's health, he said.
"Population health says that it's the social determinants, largely
poverty, education" -- and one's zip code -- that predict how long
people live.
"We spend more money on healthcare in our country than any other
nation on the planet," said David Nash, MD, founding dean of
Jefferson College of Population Health in Philadelphia, who
shared why population health is important in this exclusive
MedPage Today video interview.
nation on the planet," said David Nash, MD, founding dean of
Jefferson College of Population Health in Philadelphia, who
shared why population health is important in this exclusive
MedPage Today video interview.
Despite massive spending, the U.S. ranks 17th in the world
in quality of life measures and overall well-being of the population,
Nash added.
in quality of life measures and overall well-being of the population,
Nash added.
Why? Because medical care has only a limited impact on a given
individual's health, he said.
individual's health, he said.
"Population health says that it's the social determinants, largely
poverty, education" -- and one's zip code -- that predict how long
people live.
poverty, education" -- and one's zip code -- that predict how long
people live.
but...
The bottom-line is that we are ONLY willing to adjust what is only
impacting 20% of the equation.
We have spent a decade on trying to squeeze the 20% factor the doctors,
the PharmaCos, the InsCos, the hospitals when as he stated so well the
REAL issue is the ZIP code, the lifestyle of the population, and the other
factors that the healthcare PROVISION team has NO control over
Why does the USA stand so low on the health scale? It is NOT like SO many
want to blame the provision system or the lack of funds to pay for care it is
ALL about the lifestyles of the population
He neglected to mention that along with being #17 on his scale and #37 on
the scale of developed nations we are #1 in obesity #1 in diabetes #3 in
overall cancer diagnoses and #1 in non-compliance to professional
recommendation.
Basically we are paying more then anyone else and getting less NOT
because the costs are higher but because the society refuses to be held
accountable for its OWN outcomes
There are poor communities in every nation and yet the US still manages
to be at best #17 what is the difference?
Americans even if they are poor still seem to find ways consume alcohol and
tobacco and still can justify not accepting their doctors advice as the Gospel
to which they must adhere
ONLY when we hold individual people responsible will we ever get out from
under this spending mess
We need everyone to step up and take personal responsibility for their own
health and not wait till we are so sick we need an ambulance to deal with it.
NO reason why we can't follow Singapore's mentality. We just have to want
to and we just need to STOP entitling people to not being compliant
The more we give the less they actually do
Dr D