Country  

Life expectancy

  

Infant mortality rate  

Physicians per 1000 people  

Nurses per 1000 people  

Per capita expenditure on health (USD)  

Healthcare costs as a percent of GDP  

% of government revenue spent on health  

% of health costs paid by government  

Australia

81.4 4.2 2.8 9.7 3,137 8.7 17.7 67.7

Canada 80.7 5.0 2.2 9.0 3,895 10.1 16.7 69.8

France 81.0 4.0 3.4 7.7 3,601 11.0 14.2 79.0

Germany

79.8 3.8 3.5 9.9 3,588 10.4 17.6 76.9

Japan 82.6 2.6 2.1 9.4 2,581 8.1 16.8 81.3

Norway 80.0 3.0 3.8 16.2 5,910 9.0 17.9 83.6

Sweden 81.0 2.5 3.6 10.8 3,323 9.1 13.6 81.7

UK 79.1 4.8 2.5 10.0 2,992 8.4 15.8 81.7

US 78.1 6.7 2.4 10.6 7,290 16.0 18.5 45.4

COMMONWEALTH FUND

ANNUAL SURVEY

Compares the performance of the health care systems

•Australia •New Zealand• United Kingdom• Germany• Canada • U.S.

2007 DISCOVERY:

U.S. system is the most expensive

U.S. underperforms compared to the other countries.

U.S. is the only country without universal health

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: Determine the following:

Brainstorm why you think other countries systems are so efficient and why the US system is not.

Consider the different social expectations, cultural differences and how they may play a role in the differences.

Is government policy a factor in the health care availability? How do they pay for their health care? Does the system offer better services in one area but not in

another? Provide handouts/supporting information to the rest of the

class as you make your case for your country.

What others are saying…you decide! Health Care Lessons From France

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92419273

In Switzerland, A Health Care Model For America? http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92106731

After-Hours Doctor Calls Save Holland Money http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92606938

Taking The Measure Of Health Care In America

Compare health care cost by country http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=110997469

After reviewing these videos, decide if your choice for best health care system still holds up!

Prepare to present and defend your point of view and provide supporting examples of why your country’s model is superior to the rest