Wow, awesome posts everyone. From both sides, too! Obviously people know where I'm coming from, but I'd never learn anything if I closed my eyes and ears to the opposition. Thanks for the great input!

A theraputics test hath fried my brain, so I'm only going to comment on this one right now:

Originally posted by Dan Nixon:
I want to borrow what is best in their systems and combine with the best of ours..for despite your WHO stats..it is the US to which the wealthly of nearly ALL countries come for care.




Dan - if we didn't take snippets from one country and snippets from another, we'd be fools. Very good post my friend! I agree, this country has the best possibilities, but it's availability that we're really lacking. And yes, cost is skyrocketing because of all our cool tests...that we imlement out of fear from getting sued. Dan, our PA class has put a HUGE stress on the importance of Hx. The physical exam has been dubbed "that which confirms your diagnosis...that you made from taking a good history!"

I would have a really really hard time knowing that my taxes went to a gastric bypass surgury for a person who was 80 lbs over weight. Prevention is common knowledge, but its importance somehow just isn't sinking in. It's our "fix it once it's a problem" kind of attitude that's getting us into trouble.

I think it's been well hashed, but I'm going to make a comment about urgent care, too. My friend from Idaho had a clinic that got gov't grants to run. It's mission - serve those w/o insurance who would normally have gone to the ER for things such as ear aches, stomach aches, etc etc. They also had regular patients, too. The estimated cost of care for these patients was ~ 1/4 the cost had they gone to the ER. Granted, I don't know all the details about this clinic or the patients, but it's a damn good idea, IMO.

Derek Scion xB 5-spd Previous: 2000 Silver Frost SVT Please share the road with cyclists.