Is U.S. Health Care Really the Best in the World?

Journal of American Medical Association, Vol. 284, No. 4, July 26, 2000

"Of 13 countries in a recent comparison, the United States ranks an average of 12th (second from the BOTTOM!) for 16 available health indicators."

13th (last) for low birth weight percentages
13th for neonatal mortality and infant mortality

13th for years of potential life lost (excluding external causes)
12th for life expectancy at 1 year for males, 11th for females
12th for life expectancy at 15 years for males, 10th for females

These finding have been blamed on smoking, alcohol consumption and the high fat American diet. However, of these 13 countries we were third best for smoking, fifth best for alcohol consumption, and third best for lowest mean cholesterol concentrations among men aged 50 to 70. If we have low smoking, low alcohol consumption, low cholesterol levels where are all of these deaths coming from?? "The HEALTH CARE SYSTEM also may contribute to poor health through its adverse effects." For example:

106,000 deaths per year from non-error, adverse effects of medications
80,000 deaths per year from infections caused by the hospital
27,000 deaths per year from errors in hospitals
+12,000 deaths per year from unnecessary surgery
225,000 deaths per year from iatrogenic causes. (Health Care Caused). This makes our health care system the third leading cause of death in the United States, trailing only Heart disease and Cancer.

These figures only account for deaths. Adverse effects in outpatient settings result in 116,000,000 extra physician visits, 77,000,000 extra prescriptions, 17,000,000 extra Emergency room visits, and 8,000,000 hospitalizations. This accounts for an additional $88,000,000,000 (yes that's BILLION) in extra health care costs.

THE BOTTOM LINE - Our current Health Care System, focused on Drugs and Surgery, is KILLING THIS COUNTRY!!

TRY CHIROPRACTIC - IT WORKS!!

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