We are constantly being told by the advocates of socialized medicine that the quality of American health care is bad and getting worse. Well, as usual, the facts are not their friends. A new AHRQ study shows significant improvement in hospital mortality rates:
Between 1994 and 2004, risk-adjusted impatient mortality rates for six selected diagnoses and six surgical procedures steadily decreased by 18 to 46 percent.
And these aren’t just dry statistics, of interest only to health care wonks and public health officials. They have real meaning for real people:
Across the six diagnostic conditions examined … there were an estimated 136,000 fewer inpatient deaths in 2004 than would have been expected if mortality rates had remained at 1994 levels.
So, where are all the news reports touting this important achievement? Where are all the posts from “progressive” bloggers hailing this example of progress? I can’t seem to locate them.
More proof that good news about American health care is politically incorrect?
[via The Antidote]
Comments 4
See my above reply.
I think most of the improvement is due to taxpayer funded research and quality improvements undertaken in healthcare that have nothing to do with private insurance. Oh, except that finally, finally, some of the private insurers are throwing some chump change at QI efforts. And if you think they are doing this for any other reason than face-saving PR, I think you are naive.
Posted 15 Oct 2007 at 12:25 pm ¶I think most of the improvement is due to taxpayer funded research and quality improvements undertaken in healthcare that have nothing to do with private insurance.
Two points: (1) This is an utterly gratuitous surmise for which you have no evidence. (2) It is unrelated to the point of the post.
Posted 15 Oct 2007 at 12:57 pm ¶1.) None of thse results have anything to do with private health insurance beneficial effects.
Posted 15 Oct 2007 at 5:14 pm ¶2.) These are hospital deaths, not reflecting care for those who don’t make it to the hospital.
3.) Do we have reason to believe this is not also taking place in Europe or Japan or Australia?
4.) Maybe this isn’t being widely reported because it is part of medical progress around the globe and isn’t big news? I see the cancer deaths all over the news, for some reason the media has decided that’s the big story.
I know you’re doing your best here, but this (1,2,3,4) dog just won’t hunt.
Posted 15 Oct 2007 at 6:54 pm ¶Post a Comment