My letter to the NY Times re: A tale of two healthcare systems

 From: Patrick Barron

Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2023 9:54 AM
To: NY Times <letters@nytimes.com>
Subject: A tale of two healthcare systems

 

Dear Sirs:

Your January 29, 2023 New York Times Magazine contains two articles about healthcare. The first article was written by David Wallace-Wells and uses the failures of Britain's healthcare system as evidence that "austerity" doesn't work. (Five hundred patients per week are dying because of E.R. waits. Ambulances are taking an hour and a half to respond to stroke and heart-attack calls. Ten times as many patients spent more than four hours waiting in emergency rooms than in 2011. Waiting lists for scheduled treatment passed seven million—more than ten percent of the country—prompting nurses to strike.) There follows in the same magazine a report by Helen Ouyang about how America's healthcare system is moving toward more "hospital at home" care. Such a market-based response to changes in how healthcare is provided seem almost impossible in Britain's National Health System. The difference is that between socialism and capitalism. Britain's system is more socialistic and almost impervious to change. America's is more capitalistic and, therefore, more adept at meeting the changing needs of patients.

Patrick Barron

20 McMullan Farm Lane

West Chester, PA 19382

610-793-3605