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I don't know where you went, or what diagnostics you had, but MRIs are not that expensive today. The most expensive type of MRI (to my knowledge), an MRI of the brain, costs between $1,500 and $3,500, and that includes both the equipment fees and the cost of the radiologist t read it. Maybe you had a PET scan? Those are more up there in price, I think around $6,000.
My MRI was to the brain with the Radiologist. There are also Open MRI's now too.
American health care is probably of the highest quality in the world. We have the best specialists, best surgeons, and best technology, and boast the highest survival rates (sometimes higher than any European country by far) for numerous cancers. We have more MRIs (per capita), CTs (per capita), cobalt radiation therapy machines, etc. than any other country in the world.
But: Among 19 countries included in a recent study of amenable mortality,
the United States had the highest rate of deaths from conditions that could have been prevented or treated successfully.
I agree with the cancer prevention: United States had the highest cervical cancer screening rate,
had above-average rates of flu vaccination for senior citizens,
but childhood vaccination rates were below the average,
ranked below average in adult asthma care and asthma mortality, double the average rate.
Here's the best ranking I can find on "Healthy Years". The USA ranks 22nd out of 29, which is at best, a D+..
Healthy lives was a measure of the degree to which people can lead a healthy life and combined three factors in the assessment. Mortality amenable to health care (deaths per 100,000), the Infant mortality rate, and healthy life expectancy at age 60 (average of women and men).
As Elnina indicated, "Amenable" means number of deaths that could have been prevented with effective treatment and care.
In terms of Amenable Mortality only, during a recent 5-year span, the USA reduced its rate by only 4%, while every other country reduced its "needless death" index by 10-25%.
But: Among 19 countries included in a recent study of amenable mortality,
the United States had the highest rate of deaths from conditions that could have been prevented or treated successfully.
I agree with the cancer prevention: United States had the highest cervical cancer screening rate,
had above-average rates of flu vaccination for senior citizens,
but childhood vaccination rates were below the average,
ranked below average in adult asthma care and asthma mortality, double the average rate.
That's probably due to the access issues, not anything with the quality of the health care itself. This is not to say that the qualityof the healthcare itself is not any more important than the public's accessto it; in fact, the latter is probably more crucial, especially for easily preventable causes of death that do not require heroic treatment - which is the American health care system's forte. Of course, if it can perform heroics it can also treat simple cases (such as asthmatic people), but many are dissuaded due to the cost of health care, particularly without insurance but even with, since in addition to premiums, most insurance plans require co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles, etc. By "amenable deaths" I think they may mean things like obesity (which is a major factor behind a lot of deaths) and violent crime, the rates of both of which are high in this country. That link required me to buy the article to see what exactly constituted "amenable deaths".
But: Among 19 countries included in a recent study of amenable mortality,
the United States had the highest rate of deaths from conditions that could have been prevented or treated successfully.
I agree with the cancer prevention: United States had the highest cervical cancer screening rate,
had above-average rates of flu vaccination for senior citizens,
but childhood vaccination rates were below the average,
ranked below average in adult asthma care and asthma mortality, double the average rate.
Is the individual's responsibility to take care of their own health not the government.
A part of why amenable mortality was reduced only by 4% is greed.
Healthcare facilities are intentionally chronically understaffed to maximize profit.
There is a significant associations between lower levels of nurse staffing/inferior care and higher rates of pneumonia, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, shock/cardiac arrest, urinary tract infections, failure to rescue, pneumonia, lung collapse, falls, pressure ulcers, thrombosis after major surgery, wound infections, and longer hospital stays.
Health statistics shows that American medicine frequently causes more harm than good. Medical system is the leading cause of death and injury. Events caused by medical intervention are the 3rd leading cause of death in this country.
That's probably due to the access issues, not anything with the quality of the health care itself. This is not to say that the qualityof the healthcare itself is not any more important than the public's accessto it; in fact, the latter is probably more crucial, especially for easily preventable causes of death that do not require heroic treatment - which is the American health care system's forte. Of course, if it can perform heroics it can also treat simple cases (such as asthmatic people), but many are dissuaded due to the cost of health care, particularly without insurance but even with, since in addition to premiums, most insurance plans require co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles, etc. By "amenable deaths" I think they may mean things like obesity (which is a major factor behind a lot of deaths) and violent crime, the rates of both of which are high in this country. That link required me to buy the article to see what exactly constituted "amenable deaths".
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