BRIAN'S BLOG
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...and speaking of April Fool's Day, the woman at 3:47 may be the biggest fool of all. It's a mighty judgment call for someone to call others fools and idiots when he knowingly commits the same fallacies of reasoning over and again and sometimes has conspiracy theories about Google conspiring against him It's a mighty judgment call for someone to call others fools and idiots when he knowingly commits the same fallacies of reasoning over and again and sometimes has conspiracy theories about Google conspiring against him I made no judgments other than posting a video clip and calling out the dunce at 3:47 for what she is. Yeah probably But eyo b I was reading The World Health Report 2008 today For much of the 20th century, hospitals, with their technology and sub-specialists, have gained a pivotal role in most health systems throughout the world [72,73]. Today, the disproportionate focus on hospitals and sub-specialization has become a major source of inefficiency and inequality, and one that has proved remarkably resilient. Health authorities may voice their concern more insistently than they used to, but sub-specialization continues to prevail [74]. For example, in Member countries of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the 35% growth in the number of doctors in the last 15 years was driven by rising numbers of specialists (up by nearly 50% between 1990 and 2005 – compared with only a 20% increase in general practitioners) [75]. In Thailand, less than 20% of doctors were specialists 30 years ago; by 2003 they represented 70% [76]. The forces driving this growth include professional traditions and interests as well as the considerable economic weight of the health industry – technology and pharmaceuticals (Box 1.4). Obviously, well functioning specialized tertiary care responds to a real demand (albeit, at least in part, induced): it is necessary, at the very least, for the political credibility of the health system. However, the experience of industrialized countries has shown that a disproportionate focus on specialist, tertiary care provides poor value for money [72]. Hospital-centrism carries a considerable cost in terms of unnecessary medicalization and iatrogenesis [77], and compromises the human and social dimensions of health [73,78]. It also carries an opportunity cost: Lebanon, for example, counts more cardiac surgery units per inhabitant than Germany, but lacks programmes aimed at reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease [79]. Inefficient ways of dealing with health problems are thus crowding out more effective, efficient – and more equitable [80] – ways of organizing health care and improving health [81]. My verdict? Let the market decide We are sorry. New comments are not allowed after 21 days. |
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