The American Health Care System: How Can We Improve It?

What is wrong with America's health care system? We spend more on health care than any other nation, yet access to affordable health care is out of reach for an increasing number of Americans each year. A productive society is one that is generally healthy, hard-working, and educated. Poor health in America results in a national decline in productivity and wages and an increase in health care expenses. What can we do to help improve our current fragmented health care system?

First, access to adequate affordable health care should be everyone's concern, not just a worry for the poor or the uninsured. I firmly believe the American health care system should focus more on prevention and keeping citizens healthy; not just diagnosing and treating diseases after one becomes ill.

As Americans we need to work together, start thinking outside the box and develop ways to improve and streamline our current health care system. Everyone seems to have ideas, but there needs to be a stronger commitment to improving access, quality, and overall affordability of health care in America.

As health care costs continue to climb, the national nursing shortage is worsening and dentists and physicians, especially specialists, are scarce in many areas. Thirty-some years ago as a nursing student, I was taught that for every dollar spent on disease prevention there is a seven dollar savings in future treatment costs. We seem to have forgotten, or just chosen to ignore this statistic.

The health care system in this country is very fragmented. Experts in the field generally agree--our system isn't broken, but needs some major overhaul. I believe our current health care system is so profit-driven it has totally lost focus of trying to keep our citizens healthy.