November 15, 2007
Disparities in Healthcare Quality
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reported on Tuesday that the United States spends more per capita for health care but doesn't always get the best care.
From Reuters:
The United States spends far more than any other country on health care at $6,401 per person per year in 2005, public and private spending included. Luxembourg came next at $5,352, followed by Norway at $4,364. Turkey spent the least at $586. The average was $2,759.
The average death rate for all OECD countries was 227 per 100,000 people per year. It ranged from 176 deaths per 100,000 population in Iceland to 346 in Hungary. The United States scored 203, Japan 208 and Britain 214.
France, South Korea and Spain also had among the lowest rates while the United States was among the worst countries for deaths from heart disease at 94 per 100,000 women and 170 per 100,000 men.
The United States also scored poorly for infant mortality rates, which ranged from a low of two to three deaths per 1,000 live births in Japan, Sweden and Norway to 24 deaths per 1,000 live births in Turkey. The United States had 6 deaths per 1,000 live births, higher than the 5.4 average for OECD countries.
More info available at OECD.org.