US Primary Care Doctors Offer Inferior Service Compared To Other Countries

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US Primary Care Doctors Offer Inferior Service Compared To Other

Countries

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=55808

Primary care doctors in the United States fall behind their peers in

Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the

United Kingdom in several areas, according to The Commonwealth Fund

2006 International Health Policy Survey.

You can read about this report in the journal Health Affairs.

Over 6,000 primary care doctors (GPs) were surveyed. US doctors were

found to the be least likely to offer services outside their regular

practice hours. Systems to detect harmful drug interactions were

more comprehensive among most general practices outside the US, with

the exception of Canada.

The report found that:

-- Percentage of doctors using electronic medical records

98% The Netherlands

92% New Zealand

89% United Kingdom

79% Australia

42% Germany

28% USA

23% Canada

-- Doctors who have computerized alerts regarding potentially

harmful drug interactions and/or doses

93% The Netherlands

91% United Kingdom

87% New Zealand

80% Australia

40% Germany

23% USA

10% Canada

-- Percentage of doctors offering care outside normal office hours

95% The Netherlands

90% New Zealand

87% United Kingdom

81% Australia

76% Germany

47% Canada

40% USA

-- Total per capita costs (amount spent per person) 2003

$5,635 USA

$3,003 Canada

$2,996 Germany

$2,976 The Netherlands

$2,876 Australia

$2,231 United Kingdom

$1,886 New Zealand

The USA does not seem to get good value for money. It spends the

most, per head, and offers an inferior service, compared to most of

the other six countries.

The report found that US primary care physicians are one of the

least likely to have comprehensive clinical information systems.

They are also one of the least likely to have incentives targeted on

quality. US physicians have the highest percentage of patients who

find it hard to pay for care.

" On The Front Lines Of Care: Primary Care Doctors' Office Systems,

Experiences, And Views In Seven Countries "

Schoen, Robin Osborn, Phuong Trang Huynh, Doty,

Jordon Peugh, Kinga Zapert

Health Affairs doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.25.w555