Course:DHYG404/groupfour2009
Hello Everyone. I have attached my thouhgts on 2 questions below and the reference attached as well :) Feel free to elaborate, add, delete some information regarding the information below. Looking forward to working with you all! - JOHN LEE
Hey John! Looks great!! Thanks for getting us started! I added some of my own thoughts, which I italicized and edited some minor grammatical things (but mostly to make it flow with my added points!!) Feel free to make changes to mine as well!! Btw, it was really hard for me to find anything to add to your second question John, I kept writing things, and realized I was just being repititive of what you had already written!! Great job! -- Alyssa -Hi John, You really did a great job in answering the questions, i just added a very small paragraph in bolded, but honestly your answer to question 2 was great, because i had a problem with answering this question. Mariane
1. How do the values embedded in international HC systems compare to the values expressed in our Canadian system (ie: what are the similarities and differences that you found in terms of values)?
The values embedded in the health care system of other countries do seem to share some similarities with our Canadian health care system. Equity of access and universal coverage for public seem to be commonly shared goals especially around European countries. For example, access to hospitals and GP are free in Denmark and it is impossible for Danish residents to opt out of the statutory health care system (1).
In addition, like Canada, European countries seem to share a strong view on social responsibility as both the protection and promotion of the “public interest” is held central to their health care systems (2). Although there are differences and some variability from country to country, “the healthcare vision of solidarity, mandatory participation, strict public regulation, community-based fairness, and health valued as a social good” (2) seem to be a similar foundation and central goal that both Canada and European countries share (2). For example,in England, similar increased focus and value on preventive care has been focused recently as United Kingdom “prompted a shift away from acute hospital-based medicine towards primary care and community health initiatives; with this new emphasis on prevention and education”(2).
However, although these similarities exist, there also seems to be more flexibility in terms of choosing an option within the health care system. For example, some Danish residents choose to pay part of the costs for visiting any specialist without a GP’s referral although most choose to get this free service under GP’s referral (1). Also, although many of the same underlying values and goals are shared, they are carried out in diverse ways such as through “the degree of privatization, equitability and comprehensiveness” (2) each country has employed for their health care system.
- The main difference is that canada is considered the only country that forbids any private administartion of any form of health care system that would be provided publicly. Yet, the health care is japapn is solely based on private system. Other countries just as Switzerland, China and Brazil administer both priate and public health care system delivery.3
2. How is oral health integrated in to the HC system of different international countries and how does this compare to our Canadian approach? Again, this will be at a fairly high level perspective…I’m not expecting to see a micro level analysis of every foreseeable dental procedure incorporated in to a particular country’s HC system for this Block activity, although you are free to point out specific examples if that will help support the point(s) you are trying to make with regard to a Canadian comparison.
As Dental care is not included as part of our medicare in Canada, it is common to find other countries that do not provide sufficient coverage for the population as well. For example, people in United Kingdom usually pay 80% of the dental services that they receive (2) even though access to GP and general medical services are provided at no cost. This partial coverage for dental services is also evident in Denmark’s health care system and in the Netherlands, where only limited dental care to children and preventive and specialist surgical care for adults is covered(1). Additionally, the costs for the dental services “are generally large and have therefore caused some controversy, as many claim they are inequitable” in Denmark (1). The controversy around excluding dental services as integral part of the health care system and preventing equality of access of the population due to out-of-pocket costs seem to be an unified problem across countries. It would seem that an international trend exists in minimizing the importance dental care plays in one’s overall systemic health and is a cause for future investigation and, hopefully, resolution.
REFERENCES
1. Health care systems in eight countries: trends and challenges [document on the Internet]. European Observatory on Health Care Systems; 2002 [cited 2009 sep 29]. Available from http://www.euro.who.int/document/OBS/hcs8countries.pdf
2. Hobman, JA. International Healthcare Systems Primer [document on the Internet]. The American Medical Student Association [cited 2009 Sep 29]. Available from http://www.euro.who.int/document/OBS/hcs8countries.pdf. http://www.amsa.org/uhc/IHSprimer.pdf
3.CBC News Indepth: Health care website http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/healthcare/intl_healthcare.html