The United States and Canada A Health Care System Comparison

Kelly Miller

Date of Award

2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Coe, Richard

Keywords

Healthcare, Universal, Performance Indicators, United States Privatized Health, Efficiency, Equity, Effectiveness

Area of Concentration

Public Policy

Abstract

In this paper, it is suggested that a combination of both systems could create a more balanced health care system. Canada and the U.S. have very different approaches in health care and this paper analyzes them and attempts to create a combination of the two. The systems' efficiency, effectiveness and equity, which create a balance within a health care system, can be analyzed by concentrating on the important performance indicators that show the strengths and weaknesses within a system. These indicators are quality of health care, access to health care and cost of health care. Focusing on these indicators would then allow the system to evolve and grow into a combination of the current systems within the U.S. and Canada. The goal of health care reform in the United States should be to combine socialist ideals with private interests available, meaning more government intervention and regulation, while still having access to private insurance and private options. This would create an efficient, effective and equal system where health care would be seen as a human right, without sacrificing the level of advancement in medicine and medical technology that the U.S. currently has, or creating higher unnecessary costs.

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