Health care systems of developed non-U.S. nations: strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for the United States--observations from internationally recognized imaging specialists.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to survey imaging experts from developed nations on their impression of their own health care system and recommendations for the U.S. health care system as it seeks to enact health care reform.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A survey was sent to individual imaging experts from developed nations requesting information on their health care systems (type of system, strengths, and weaknesses) and their recommendations for the United States.

RESULTS

Eighteen respondents from 17 developed nations completed the survey. All respondents reported universal health care coverage: four with government-operated health care, one with mixed government and private insurance-operated health care, 10 with predominantly government run with private insurance supplementation health care, and one with predominantly private insurance with government-operated supplementation health care. The most commonly cited strength was universal health care coverage for all citizens. The most commonly cited weakness was prolonged wait times. Notably absent was concern by the respondent physicians about malpractice litigation. The most commonly cited recommendation was the implementation of a universal health care coverage program.

CONCLUSION

In our survey of 18 imaging experts from 17 nations outside the United States, most respondents thought that their nations offered adequate universal health care coverage for their citizens, with the primary drawback of long wait times.