The United Kingdom and United States Health Care Systems: a Comparison

Abstract

care services and systems are fundamental to any society, and health status is directly proportional to standard of living. This article analyzes and compares two of the major health care systems of the world, the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom and the health care system of the United States; it also references community care nursing. Both health care systems were founded on high ideals and have been able to deliver results to a large extent. However, there will always be areas for improvements. These areas are enumerated and analyzed in this article. This analysis can provide some guidance to the best possible health care delivery model. It has been said that the United States has structured health care as a commodity, whereas the United Kingdom has considered it a part of the welfare state. Neither model, however, has fully accomplished the goal of meeting quality, equitable access, and cost effectiveness.

Inequalities in socio-economic status and invasive procedures for coronary heart disease: a comparison between the USA and the UK

“…While it seems that low SES patients in the US fare better than those in the UK, this conclusion reflects more on the intrinsic structure of each healthcare system rather than higher levels of inequality in the UK. The UK’s socialised medical system often involves long waiting lists and a primary care ‘gatekeeping’ system to manage the excessive national demand for the limited resources, whereas the US system emphasises short waiting times and patient choice at the expense of high cost (22,37,38).…”

“…Medicaid must make its reimbursements more competitive with private insurance rates to avoid preferential physician biases towards treating non‐Medicaid insurance holders. Expansion of Medicaid to cover the 40 million uninsured US citizens (38) or focusing efforts on decreasing healthcare costs to make ICPs more accessible could also be considered.…”

Temporal trends and patterns in initial opioid prescriptions after hospital discharge following colectomy in England over 10 years

“…Differences in healthcare systems might have an impact on opioid prescribing practices. The UK has a publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which provides free healthcare to all residents, including subsidized prescriptions 11 , mainly guided by national policies and drug formularies. In comparison, the USA has a private healthcare system linked predominantly to insurance coverage.…”

Letter from Glasgow

“…There is a long history of comparisons between different healthcare systems focusing particularly on high-income countries, including personal experiences. [1][2][3][4] I think that evidence in the form of statistics, numbers and outcomes is important (I am a public health doctor after all! ), but people also need to relate to the reality through narrative.…”