Health Care Data: The first step to solutions

The first step for finding solutions to any complex problem including better health care in America is the data gathering phase. One of the easiest ways to find solutions is to determine what others are doing better. Basically, we don't have to always reinvent the wheel.

So, let us start looking globally to see what other countries are doing. I like the following link because this international organization in Switerzland is for all practical purposes, is going to be indifferent to health care in America. Although there will be a few critics stating this international organization (World Health Organization, WHO) is advocating an agenda that might be construed to not be in our national or your best interest.

WHO issued a ranking report on global health care in 2000 that is frequently cited and referred to. WHO by their ranking criteria, ranked America 37th; despite spending more than any other nation. While also noting the top 36 countries all had some kind of socialized or national health care. The United States does not. Although President-Elect Obama is advocating for national health care insurance for all via Medicaid. More than likely, as proposed in H.R. 676 known as United States National Health Insurance Act (or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act). So try this link:

http://www.who.int/whr/2008/en/index.html.

In regard to one link I reviewed recently discussing health care in America, http://www.kaiser.edu.org/ provides a balanced and unbiased site discussing health care issues in detail.

Those give a starting place. There will be further links as we progress to arriving at some kind of intelligent consensus solution for how we can make better, our health care system. Expect data overload initially. But with a little bit of initial research, we can start filtering what is important and what is not.

One area that is important to focus on next will involve categories of people. While also trying to arrive at some kind of consensus on our reasonable expectations of governing bodies related to making health care better. We cannot presume that all the responsibility of your health care resides in government. It seems fair to state the ultimate responsibility of your own health care resides and should reside with the individual-you.

And any suggestions for better links with no special interest connections that you come upon, pass it along so we can all review that link. Just reflect and make a decision on whether that link is objective. For example, I do not consider the American Medical Association (AMA) to be objective. Their purpose is to to serve the interests of their profession. Organizations such as this are not objective; although they may provide some good data. These kinds of organizations typically are merely advocating the agenda of their profession to the benefit their members.

That's enough for today.