AMERICA'S HEALTHCARE CRISIS UNDERSTANDING ITS CAUSES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Over the past three decades, America's healthcare spending has risen from $78.1 billion, or 7% of GDP, in 1970 to $2.0 trillion, or 16.0 % of GDP, in 2005. During that period many technological advances were made to improve diagnosis, treatment and patient care support. But while we rank number 1 in the world in per capita healthcare spending, the life expectancy of our population ranks number 37.

Today we are faced with more severe illnesses, more medical errors, deterioration of the physician patient relationship, limited programs for facilitating wellness in healthy people and no foreseeable end to the rising cost of healthcare. The CMS forecasts healthcare spending in 2015 at $4.0 trillion or 20 % of that year's forecasted GDP.

There is a tremendous need to reverse these trends by reducing costs while improving the health of the nation's population.

A more thorough description of the American Healthcare Crisis, its key contributors and a description of what you as an individual can do about it and what the country as a whole can do about it are the subjects of a forthcoming book that Mr. Dorenfest is now writing.

He recently gave a presentation on the American Healthcare Crisis at the 2007 HIMSS meeting in New Orleans. This presentation overviews the issues creating the healthcare crisis in America and provides some solutions. It provides a thought provoking commentary on issues of great importance to professionals in the healthcare industry as well as to every other citizen. See the New Orleans HIMSS 2007 The American Healthcare Crisis to learn more about Mr. Dorenfest's viewpoints and ideas.