PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 319 - 30 Jun 2001

■ Physicians in 5 countries have expressed concernthat quality of care has deteriorated in the past 5years, say US-based researchers. They conducted asurvey of physicians’ views about their country’soverall healthcare system performance and found that2571 general practitioners, primary-care physiciansand specialists in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, theUK and the US had similar concerns: that quality ofcare has deteriorated, that medical errors are notadequately reported in hospitals, and that there is ashortage of hospital nursing staff. With the exceptionof US physicians, survey respondents reported majorresource shortages and thought that patient waitingtimes were too long. A principal concern for USphysicians was patients’ inability to pay for medicalcare and prescription drugs. ‘Unfortunately, for policymakers, many of these issues can be addressed only byproviding more resources to health care’, say theresearchers.Blendon RJ, et al. Physicians’ views on quality of care: a five-countrycomparison: all agree that quality of care is deteriorating, but U.S. physiciansface some unique problems as well. Health Affairs 20: 233-243, May-Jun2001 800817624

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 30 Jun 2001 No. 3191173-5503/10/0319-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved