Persistent Gaps in Quality

In spite of the vast resources invested, the health care system has not yet reached the goal of high-quality care.

Across 37 performance indicators, the United States achieved an overall score of 65 out of a possible 100.²⁷

Only 60% of obese adults were given advice on exercise, and just over half of children received advice on healthy eating.²⁸

Hospitals on average have still not met recommended targets for treating heart attacks in a timely manner.²⁹

If all states improved diabetes control to the level of the top four best performing states, at least 39,000 fewer patients would have been admitted for uncontrolled diabetes in 2004, potentially saving $216.7 million.³⁰

Patient safety initiatives have the potential to save thousands of lives.

Up to 98,000 Americans die each year as a result of medical errors, more than motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, and AIDS.³¹

The United States also lags behind other nations in the use of error-reducing techniques, such as health information technology.³²

Disparities in care among different subpopulations must be addressed.

Ethnic and racial minorities are often less likely to receive recommended care, as are people with lower income or lower educational status.³³

They are also more likely to be uninsured, more likely to leave the emergency room without being seen, and more likely to experience poor communication with their physicians.³⁴

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