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What We're Reading: US Healthcare System Ranked 50th of 55 in Efficiency
What we’re reading, October 4, 2016: US healthcare system is the 50th most efficient out of 55; health agencies will spend Zika funds on vaccine trials and local prevention efforts; Americans have little confidence in their healthcare decisions as 69% say they are confused by terminology.
According to the most recent Bloomberg healthcare efficiency index, America has the 50th most efficient healthcare system out of the 55 countries studied, coming ahead of Jordan, Columbia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, and Russia. The index, which used data from 2014, assesses life expectancy, healthcare spending per capita, and relative spending as a share of gross domestic product (GDP). Hong Kong was rated as most efficient, spending an average of $2021 on healthcare per capita compared to the US average of $9403 per person.
The CDC has announced how it will spend the $1.1 billion in funds allocated for fighting Zika as part of last week’s government budget bill. According to director Tom Frieden, $350 million will be distributed to states and territories to help fight outbreaks at the local level. Some of the money will also be used to fund clinical trials of a Zika vaccine and a point-of-care diagnostic test.
A survey of US healthcare consumers found that many of them are confused by healthcare costs, plans, and terminology with 69% saying that deciphering healthcare language is a significant barrier to their decision-making. According to the report from Alegeus, the survey "clearly signals the need for significant education, tools, and support that engages and empowers consumers to take ownership and make savvier healthcare decisions."
Dr Kathy Zackowski Discusses the Importance of Rehabilitation Research and Trials in MS
April 26th 2024Kathy Zackowski, PhD, National MS Society, expresses the inherent value of quality rehabilitation trials for broadening clinical understandings of multiple sclerosis (MS) and bettering patient outcomes.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
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Kaiser Permanente was hit by a data breach in mid-April, impacting 13.4 million health plan members; GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) sued Pfizer and BioNTech for allegedly infringing on its messenger RNA technology patents in the companies’ COVID-19 vaccines; the CDC announced the first-known HIV cases transmitted via cosmetic injections.
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