Feb
6
A Change of Perception?
By Michael | Published February 06, 2009
Imagine this; one morning while walking down the street, minding your own business, on the way to meeting your friends in the park, when all of a sudden a motorcyclist on the road looses control of his bike and crashes into you. This type of incident, while not pleasant, happens on a daily basis all around the world. We would like to think that help is given to the victims of such accidents in a prompt and efficient manner, especially in first world countries. However, the truth of what happens in the aftermath of a serious road accident is often scary enough to make a person drastically reconsider their views on the modern healthcare industry.
A recent accident in Tokyo, mirroring the example illustrated above, left a 69 year old pedestrian dead after a biker lost control of his vehicle. His death, however, has been blamed on massive failures in the Japanese healthcare service, rather than on the operator of the motorbike. Paramedics arrived on the scene minutes after the incident, but then spent the next 90 minutes trying to convince hospitals to admit the injured senior. The total number of hospitals that they tried was a shockingly high 14. That is, 14 hospitals turned away a seriously injured elderly man, and by the time he was admitted into hospital number 15 his condition has deteriorated so much that there was nothing that healthcare workers could do to prevent his imminent demise.
The biker? He was admitted for treatment at the third hospital paramedics tried and is now recovering from his injuries.
This is not the first time that this type of situation has occurred in
The reason for this state of affairs is cited as being due to the growing strain on the Japanese public health system from an aging population, dwindling manpower, and massive overcrowding. The situation is getting so bad that in the past 2 years more than 14,000 emergency patients have been refused entry and treatment due to overcrowding at various medical facilities. To make matters worse the Japanese government cannot legally punish hospitals that turn away patients while claiming that they are full.
The Japanese healthcare system is based on a form of universal coverage backed by a state run insurance scheme (rather than contribute your tax dollars, you pay for a universal “insurance policy” out of your salary). Under this type of healthcare service individuals are “guaranteed” equality of access and fees; certainly an admirable goal and one mirrored by a number of national health systems around the world. In reality however, these types of universal services are falling drastically short of their intended targets, especially when one considers the examples provided by
The question here is; if a first world nation known for its technological prowess, strong social services, and high quality of living is failing at providing adequate healthcare protection and services for its population, then what is happening in third world nations? Even leaving aside the third world, you need only look at the United Kingdom and the USA to see that the current healthcare objectives all over the globe are in serious need of a major facelift, and even then, the risk is high that patients will continue to be left out in the cold (quite literally) without the care and treatment that they need.
The proponents of national healthcare coverage will cite equality of care and cost cutting as the primary reasons for installing such systems, and with the financial meltdown over the last 8 months, private healthcare and insurance are looking like very unattractive options for a majority of individuals around the world. The problems associated with the Japanese healthcare service may just be regulatory in nature. In the
While private health insurance has received a bad rap, especially in the domestic
The simple truth of the issue is this, it doesn’t matter if you are covered by a private health insurance plan, or a national universal one, because healthcare systems all over the world are in dire need of an overhaul, and have been for quite some time. Perpetually rising costs and massive overcrowding are increasingly becoming the norm, no matter where you may be located.
For the average individual there is not much that can be done at this point in time other than to wait and see what action is taken by various governments, especially the USA.
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[...] A Change of Perception? : International Insurance News [...]
[...] This chap added an interesting post on A Change of Perception? : International Insurance NewsHere’s a small excerptThat is, 14 hospitals turned away a seriously injured elderly man, and by the time he was admitted into hospital number 15 his condition has deteriorated so much that there was nothing that healthcare workers could do to prevent his … [...]
I AM SO ANGRY!
Tom Daschle, and Nancy Killefer are two of the finest, and most competent public servants you could possibly hope for in these appointments. They have been assassinated by the Washington healthcare lobby through their paid Bush Republican henchmen in congress. These Bush republicans are the same people blocking the economic recovery plan put forth by the Obama administration.
I am BURNING MAD America. And you should be too. Tome Daschle and Nancy Killefer were exactly what we needed to help turn this country around and fix our economy, and catastrophic healthcare crisis.
If I were their boss I would tell them to get right back to Washington. And dare congress to not approve them. How ridiculous is it to reject highly qualified people that this country needs just because they made a mistake on their taxes. Don’t stand for that anymore America. They apologized, and paid their taxes, and that should be it. Their country needs them. But President Obama has to do what he thinks is best. I understand that. I’M JUST SO MAD at the anti American Bush Republicans.
Like many of you I have been trying to enjoy the after glow of this Beautiful historic election. But I see that the republicans in congress and their cohorts aren’t going to be good sports, and LOSER’S!
SO BE IT!
In spite of President Obama’s repeated offers, and gestures of collegiality to Republicans. Bush Republicans have seized upon every opportunity to stab President Obama in the back. And by doing so they are stabbing you, and the rest of the American people in the back. Well, you don’t have to put up with that. And you shouldn’t put up with that. President Obama has only been on the job two weeks. And he inherited two wars, and the worst economy since the great depression.
We had an election. And president Obama, and the democrats won BIG. And Bush Republicans lost miserably!
The Bush Republicans are the ones responsible for the worst economic crisis since the great depression. And the Bush Republicans are responsible for the worst healthcare crisis in American history. A healthcare crisis that is killing hundreds of thousands of you every year. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies.
President Obama, and the Democrats should take back all the concessions they granted the Bush Republicans, and tell them to put up! or shut up!
Everyone, start calling and contacting these Bush Republicans and tell them to stop blocking President Obama, and the Democrats recovery plan. And stop trying to block, and corrupt healthcare reform. Tell them to get on board with President Obama and the Democrats, or GET OUT!!
If these Bush Republicans refuse to cooperate I want all of you to immediately begin the process of removing them from office by every legal means possible. Including impeachment, and recall. I want you to bring the full weight and power of the movement down on their heads that swept President Obama, and the Democrats into control of the whitehouse, and congress. Take no prisoners. Use all the techniques you learned over this past historic election. Be flexible, creative, adaptable, and relentless like you were in the past.
To my cyber warriors I call on you again. You are among the best and the brightest. I call on you to move this fight from the cyber world to the living rooms, dens, and work places of the voters these Bush Republicans misrepresent. I know I can count on you. This is a fight worth fighting.
To my fellow World citizens. As an American I invite, and welcome you and your advise, input, and help. By delaying Americas recovery, and healthcare reform, these Bush Republicans are delaying our commitment to your recovery, and to being the better America for you that we aspire too.
I had hoped it would not come to this after our historic election. I had hoped that the Bush Republicans would respect the overpowering will of the people, and the World. But I guess not. All the Bush Republicans really care about is them-selves. Well, SO BE IT! Lets finish the job.
Sincerely
jacksmith — Working Class
[...] from The Global Assurance Blog, makes an interesting point in his A Change of Perception? article. He sees the healthcare systems all over the world as in dire need of an overhaul, gives a [...]