A new 2011 survey of patients with complex care needs in eleven countries finds that care is often poorly coordinated, reports The Commonwealth Fund. “An international survey of adults living with health problems and complex care needs found that patients in the United States are much more likely than those in 10 other high-income countries to forgo needed care because of costs and to struggle with medical debt. In all the countries surveyed, patients who have a medical home reported better coordination of care, fewer medical errors, and greater satisfaction with care than those without one.” Aaron’s Comment: I’ve resisted blogging about this because it’s not new. Read my 10-part series on quality and my 10-part series on costs, and you’ll see that little has changed.
E Coli outbreak traced to N.C. state fair, writes Brooke Cain. 27 people attending the fair in October got ill; the E coli has been traced to the building that holds sheep and goats awaiting judging. Don’s comment: Like Aaron, I love the state fair. My family often has a dispute when we go together; I want to see all the livestock and my kids mock their dad for agrarian interests and background (city kids) and my wife says “really?”. I say something like food doesn’t come from grocery stores and they roll their eyes….good stuff, and just like the food on offer, the same every year with slightly different wrinkles. The brilliance is the consistency. I am hiding today’s paper from my wife. Note: E coli is serious business, and this is the second outbreak linked to livestock in the past 5 years at the N.C. state fair and the Dept. of Agriculture is investigating.
Austin recommends reading Uwe Reinhard’s post today.
