It's official: American Medical System is Nearing Collapse

[Dave Hartley]

The American Medical System is Nearing Collapse
By Tommy G. Thompson - U.S. Secretary of Health and Human services

We are living in the most amazing era of medicine in human history. Yet as
we all know too well, all is not well with American medicine. In point of
fact, we are dealing with a system of healthcare delivery that is, at its
root, dysfunctional.

The problem - the crisis - is the system by which care is delivered, which
has simply not matured at the same pace as the technologies and treatments
now available.

I've traveled all over the country. I've traveled to Spain and Germany. I've
been to Canada. I've discussed healthcare with some of the leading
policymakers and caregivers in the world. And sadly, I have to report that
in Western society broadly, the various systems of care are eroding with
ever-greater rapidity.

I've come to one central conclusion: The way we provide care is in jeopardy
of collapse. It is clouded by regulatory burdens that are confusing,
duplicative and extremely time-consuming. Physicians and nurses almost have
to obtain advanced degrees in business administration, accounting and
jurisprudence just to run their offices from day to day. Patients have to
fill out endless forms; get transferred from place to place; worry about
what insurance will pay for what treatment and at what cost.

We have to fundamentally change the current healthcare delivery system in
our country. The myriad rules, regulations and restrictions that make
obtaining good healthcare difficult, if not impossible, have to be reviewed
carefully and, when necessary, jettisoned like useless ballast.

But there's another area of reform that must - I repeat, must - be among the
highest priorities we can develop: malpractice reform. America is
experiencing a medical malpractice insurance coverage crisis that is
increasing the cost of healthcare, decreasing access to doctors and
hospitals for many patients and lowering the overall quality of care
provided to patients.

Tommy G. Thompson is U.S. secretary of health and human services. This is
excerpted and condensed from his remarks July 18 in Chicago to the American
Medical Association

See also:
http://www.mercola.com/2002/feb/27/deat ... dicine.htm
http://www.mercola.com/2002/aug/21/medical_system.htm
Dave Hartley
www.Mr-Notebook.com
www.localcomputermart.com/dave
Santa Cruz, CA (831)423-4284