Friday, August 14, 2009

THE World Health Organization (WHO) country-by-country comparison of health statistics — that show, for example, Cuba with a better infant mortality rate than the U.S. — can be challenged on a variety of grounds, and of course are. But Consumer Reports is a different beast. So a quotation from its Health blog:

Enter the concept of "amenable mortality." Invented years ago in the United States and used worldwide by researchers ever since, it’s basically a body count of people who die for want of "timely and effective health care." A higher rate is bad, because it means the country’s health care system is falling down on its one and only job, which is to keep people healthy and do the best job possible of treating them if they get sick.

So where does the United States stand among 19 countries assessed by the "amenable mortality" measurement? As of 2002-2003, dead last. (France and Japan are first and second.) Be sure to go to the link with the summary — or just click here.

This is the kind of data we should be discussing in the health care reform debate. Right? Nah. We Americans know we have the best health care system in the world. To understand how we know that, check out Gail Collins, referenced below.

THE 300-plus comments to Gail Collins' recent column about guns at town hall meetings are, frankly, more interesting, and instructive, than the column itself, although you can clink on "Back to Article" and read it, too.

OR consider how health care is sometimes dispensed outside our comfortably remote part of the country. Ah, yes, the very best ... .