Identification of Health Issues from the Movie “Sick around the World” and the Reaction
The movie entitled, “Sick around the World” reported by Thomas Roy Reid features the way healthcare system operations occur from five other capitalist nations in the World. Reid visited United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland to help America improve its health care system from the lessons learned from these nations. Health issues that came out evident from the movie include poor management of chronic diseases, low health practitioners’ motivation, high cost of healthcare services, little research in health care system and unequal health care provision amongst citizens. The movie begins by featuring the healthcare system in United Kingdom. The healthcare issue of low motivated health practitioners, high cost of healthcare and poor management of chronic diseases ends up shown. United Kingdom has come up with the National Health Service (NHS) run by the government and funded by taxes. The report given by Whittington Hospital CEO stated that NHS ensures that everybody born in U.K is entitled to healthcare without personal bill. Moreover, NHS has a “pay for performance” program to doctors who provide good results in the control of chronic diseases like diabetes. Pay for performance motivates health staff hence effective management of chronic diseases. It is ideal for other countries like America to invent ways of motivating caregivers who control chronic illness and the adoption of universal healthcare services to lower medication and healthcare costs. Reid visit to Japan and Germany tries to show how the two countries deals with the health issues of high costs in the provision of healthcare, mismanagement of medical insurance Companies and unequal quality healthcare to citizens. Japan lowers the government’s expenditure in healthcare by implementation of a law requiring the citizens’ purchase of health insurance through either the employer or community plan. On the other hand, Germany lowers the healthcare services and medication through the adoption of national health system. As was reported by Prof. Karl Lauterbach, a Germany parliament member, a national healthcare system leads to affordable health care services by all citizens. The rich and healthy participates in treating the poor and the sick leading to affordability. Japan and Germany also lowers the costs of medication and health care services by reducing the profits of insurance Companies so that billing reduces. I propose for the adoption of a national health system and lowering the profits of medical insurance companies to allow the affordability of health care and medication by all citizens. Reid features Taiwan and Switzerland in the movie, “Sick around the World” and shows the healthcare issues of less research in healthcare system and low political influence towards quality health care. Taiwan and Switzerland have invested a lot in research in seeking evidence-based healthcare services. In 1990’s the two countries sought the best healthcare systems through research. Taiwan arrived at the system of government collecting money and then paying health providers. The system has turned out successful in Taiwan as every citizen has health smart cards allowing automatic billing. The Taiwan government advisor, Tsung-Mei Cheng reported that the system adopted by Taiwan is successful. On the other hand, Switzerland following the 1994 referendum, a law called LAMal “the sickness” fosters a universal healthcare. Furthermore, the Swizz political system helps in the fight towards quality health care for all citizens. Pascal Counchpin, the Swizz President, reported of supporting quality healthcare to all citizens as seen from the movies. I propose for a strong backup from the political system in ensuring a quality healthcare for all citizens.
Work cited
Reid, Thomas. Sick around the World Movie. The Penguin Press. (2008).
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/.
