America has the world's most expensive healthcare system, yet ranks poorly in healthcare among the world's richest democracies, both in terms of quality and fairness (in the U.S., millions do not have health insurance). This timely PBS Frontline documentary follows Washington Post reporter T.R. Reid to five countries to examine the similarities and differences between our own and other approaches to healthcare. Great Britain, often scorned for its “socialized medicine,” boasts a comprehensive tax-based healthcare system administered by doctors who are considered salaried government employees (the downside is that patients have to wait long periods for elective care). Japan, a fiercely free market economy, spends half as much per capita on healthcare as the U.S., but Japanese citizens enjoy high life expectancy and low infant mortality. Some 80% of Japanese hospitals are private, yet the government tightly controls prices (hospital rooms can cost as little as $10 a night). Both in Japan and in Germany, Reid finds that doctors and hospital staff feel they aren't paid enough, but of necessity must strike a balance between personal expectations and what consumers are willing to pay. Reid also visits Taiwan and Switzerland, two countries that have successfully overhauled their healthcare systems in recent years. While none of the profiled systems are perfect, patients in these other nations seem to be generally satisfied with their healthcare. A thought-provoking, informative, and objective documentary (which doesn't cover U.S. medical industries-related lobbying or political inertia, both of which have stymied change here), Sick Around the World concludes that the U.S. healthcare crisis must be addressed now, especially since it will be much more expensive to fix later. DVD extras include a PDF teacher's guide. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)
Sick Around the World
(2008) 60 min. DVD: $24.99 ($54.95 w/PPR). PBS Video. Closed captioned. ISBN: 0-7936-9457-4. Volume 23, Issue 6
Sick Around the World
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