Achieving a High-Performance Health Care System with Universal Access: What the United States Can Learn from Other Countries

1 January 2008 | Volume 148 Issue 1

This position paper concerns improving health care in the United States. Unlike previous highly focused policy papers by the American College of Physicians, this article takes a comprehensive approach to improving access, quality, and efficiency of care. The first part describes health care in the United States. The second compares it with health care in other countries. The concluding section proposes lessons that the United States can learn from these countries and recommendations for achieving a high-performance health care system in the United States. The articles are based on a position paper developed by the American College of Physicians' Health and Public Policy Committee. This policy paper (not included in this article) also provides a detailed analysis of health care systems in 12 other industrialized countries.

Although we can learn much from other health systems, the College recognizes that our political and social culture, demographics, and form of government will shape any solution for the United States. This caution notwithstanding, we have identified several approaches that have worked well for countries like ours and could probably be adapted to the unique circumstances in the United States.

Author and Article Information

See editorial: Learning from the Health Care Systems of Other Countries

Requests for Single Reprints: Customer Service, American College of Physicians, 190 N. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

^* This paper, written by Jack A. Ginsburg, Robert B. Doherty, J. Fred Ralston Jr., MD, and Naomi Senkeeto, was developed for the Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians (ACP): J. Fred Ralston Jr., MD (Chair); Molly Cooke, MD (Vice Chair); Charles Cutler, MD; David A. Fleming, MD; Brian P. Freeman, MD; Robert A. Gluckman, MD; Mark Liebow, MD; Robert M. McLean, MD; Kenneth A. Musana, MBChB; Patrick M. Nichols; Mark W. Purtle, MD; P. Preston Reynolds, MD; and Kathleen M. Weaver, MD; with contributions from David C. Dale, MD (ACP President, ex officio); Joel S. Levine, MD (Chair, ACP Board of Regents); and Joseph W. Stubbs, MD (Chair, ACP Medical Service Committee). It was approved by the ACP Board of Regents on 27 October 2007.

Read all Rapid Responses

Unsupported conclusions unworthy of an organization of clinician-scientists

Richard S Leff

Annals Online, 5 Dec 2007 [Full text]

Achieving a High-Performance Health Care System with Universal Access: What the United States Can Le

Arvind R Cavale

Annals Online, 11 Dec 2007 [Full text]

In Response

Nemer Dabage-Forzoli

Annals Online, 11 Dec 2007 [Full text]

Physicians Have Responsibilities Also

Kennth A. Fisher

Annals Online, 17 Dec 2007 [Full text]

Two ships passing in the night...

Samuel Chew

Annals Online, 17 Dec 2007 [Full text]

Great job, some comments

Bernard A Cooper

Annals Online, 18 Dec 2007 [Full text]

THIS IS THE HEALTH CARE CRISIS

Cleaves M. Bennett

Annals Online, 3 Jan 2008 [Full text]

Re: Two ships passing in the night...

Cleaves M. Bennett

Annals Online, 3 Jan 2008 [Full text]

Malpractice system a prime mover of high medical costs

Edward J. Volpintesta

Annals Online, 3 Jan 2008 [Full text]

High-Performance Health Care

Harvey S. Zarren

Annals Online, 8 Jan 2008 [Full text]

Re: Re: Two ships passing in the night...

Samuel Chew

Annals Online, 8 Jan 2008 [Full text]

Intitute of Medicine's 1999 report misused by medicine'critics

Edward J. Volpintesta

Annals Online, 17 Jan 2008 [Full text]

The MHS and TRICARE are other models that the American College of Physicians should consider

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Annals Online, 28 Jan 2008 [Full text]

Need to include medical accountablity in solutions

Thomas James

Annals Online, 19 Feb 2008 [Full text]

What the United States can learn from other countries involves more than health

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Annals Online, 25 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Single negotiating table a good idea

Edward J. Volpintesta

Annals Online, 3 Mar 2008 [Full text]

Achieving a High-Performance Health Care System : Malpractice

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Annals Online, 11 Mar 2008 [Full text]

ACP Responds

Jack A. Ginsburg;, et al.

Annals Online, 11 Mar 2008 [Full text]