Failure of Medical Malpractice Law

The problems with the Medical Malpractice system in the US have been well-documented. President Bush has presented proposals to cap punitive damages in malpractice litigation. Other others have decried the fact that despite a large number of negligence cases each year, very few patients bring suit to court. Below are two studies which should give…

NHS Doctors prefer private insurance

In England, all residents receive free medical care from the National Health Service (NHS), which is run by the Department of Health. Many critics of nationalized health care would say that publicly provided medical care is often of inferior quality to that of medical care provided in the private market. A recent Times (UK) article…

Iqbal Quadir’s vision of Development

Iqbal Quadir is not your typical investment banker. Inspired by the non-profit Grameen Bank‘s success in his native country of Bangladesh, Quadir has created a variety of initiatives which allow the private sector to be the driving force for development in the Third World. CNN and The Economist (“Power to the People“) both report of…

Pro-Life Nation

“On ‘Meet the Press’ in October 2004, when Tim Russert, the host, asked Jim DeMint, a South Carolina Republican representative then in the middle of what turned out to be a successful campaign for the U.S. Senate, to explain his position in favor of a total ban on all abortion procedures. DeMint was reluctant to…

How the Amish Drive Down Medical Costs

It is common knowledge that healthcare institutions such as the government (through Medicare and Medicaid) and HMOs are able to negotiate with hospitals for low prices due to their market power. Most individuals who pay out of pocket for medical services can expect face prices which are 30%-50% higher than those of Medicare patients. A…

Where there is no doctor

Interested in the medical field but not a doctor?  Looking to help those in developing countries who are live without access to a physician?  A great resource to use is Where there is no doctor, a classic text published by Hesperian Books.  I recently bought a copy in Spanish (Donde no hay doctor) while I…

Healthcare in El Salvador V: War and Peace

One of the largest healthcare risks in many countries is war. Between 1980 and 1992, El Salvador experienced a violent civil war between the right-wing military government and the FMLN (Frente Farabundo Mari para la Liberacion Nacional) communist guerrilla forces. The conflict began to boil over in 1977 when armed forces arrived at Universidad Centroamericana…

Healthcare in El Salvador IV: Healthcare system

In El Salvador, one finds two parallel health care system.  The first uses state-of-the-art technology, qualified doctors, and physician spend ample time with patients.  The second employs third world technology, treats severe illnesses superficially, and doctors are overworked.  Which of these systems is run by the government?  Which of these systems serves the poor? As…

Healthcare in El Salvador III: Waste Disposal

Plastic bottles strewn on the street, trash fires burning in front of homes, and primitive latrines…El Salvador is pretty much the antithesis of a stereotypically pristine European city. While in the US, we take trash collection for granted–we put our waste into the trash/toilet and it is taken away–in El Salvador waste disposal does not…