While the healthcare sector is largely a reliable and crucial service, the number of medical negligence claims has been increasing in recent years. Both the standard and cost of healthcare can vary significantly around the world. From free healthcare systems such as the NHS to expensive systems in the US, the way in which these systems are run could contribute towards the cost of negligence.
Here, we’ll look at some of the most expensive healthcare systems and how they contribute towards medical negligence claims.
The American health system
When it comes to the most expensive health system in the world, America wins hands down. Those with disabilities, along with the elderly and students, are the only ones entitled to public health insurance. Everyone else has to buy private insurance and even then, it may not cover everything.
It is estimated that the cost of complex operations such as a heart bypass, is most expensive in America, costing $67,500 on average. Compare that to Luxembourg where the average cost is $1,110 and you get a good idea of how unequal the healthcare system is.
While America may have the most expensive system overall, some countries do charge more for specific types of treatments. Italy, for example, proved the most expensive for joint replacements. The costs in the country can run up to $49,500, whereas in Laos, the cost would be just $700.
World Medical Association recommends limiting costs
The World Medical Association has recently recommended physicians lower the cost of medical care. While initially, this may seem like a great idea for patients, there is a worry it could contribute towards increased clinical negligence claims.
For example, patients would be able to make a claim against the health system if they feel their level of care has been reduced due to cost-cutting. As different countries offer differently priced healthcare systems, it would be difficult for some medical professionals to lower their costs while still delivering the same level of care.
Proposing any big changes in pricing within the medical sector could pose numerous issues. The effect it will have on medical negligence claims is just one complication that needs to be looked into.
Overall, healthcare costs are extremely varied throughout the world. While expensive systems aren’t fair to all patients, they do provide a high level of care. Removing them could, therefore, see a dramatic increase in malpractice claims.
