The World's 'Perfect' Health Care System Would Take Parts from All Over

Dr. Mark Britnell, chairman of KPMG's Global Healthcare Practice and author of 'In Search of the Perfect Health System,' can tell you what such a system would look like.
By Gregg Greenberg ,

There is no such thing as a "perfect" health care system, but there are fantastic examples of health care practices all over the world, said Dr. Mark Britnell, chairman of KPMG's Global Healthcare Practice and author of In Search of the Perfect Health System.

"Every country has something to teach and every country has something to learn," said Britnell.

In his role at KPMG, Britnell has responsibility for its 4,000 health staff across more than 40 countries. He previously was CEO of high-performing University Hospitals in Birmingham and masterminded the largest new hospital build in hte U.K.'s National Health Service.  He also ran the NHS from Oxford to the Isle of Wight before joining its management board as a director-general.

According to Britnell, if the world did have a perfect health care system, it would include the research and development component of the United States, the primary care of Israel, and the values and universal care of the United Kingdom. It would also feature the community services of Brazil, the innovation of India, the mental health system of Australia, and the aged care of Japan.

"The United States' research and development commitment and expenditure is greater than that of the combined European Union. You produce more Nobel Prize winners in the life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical devices than any other country," said Britnell, adding that Americans also pay far more than people in other nations for that privilege. He suggests that the government and the drug companies need to get together to find a balance in which consumers are not gouged but pharma can still make a profit.

The U.S. spends 17% of its GDP on health care, but Britnell said Americans are not getting their money's worth. He estimates in his book that there is $800 billion of waste annually in the system.

On the subject of Obamacare, Britnell said the jury is still out as to whether the program is doing what it is intended to do. That said, he is in favor of universal health care, so he believes Obamacare is a step in the right direction.

"Even if it was replaced with something else, the issues are just the same: Better population health, better care at affordable costs and prices for the average American citizen" said Britnell, adding that personalized medicine might be a good place for investors to put their money if they are looking toward the future of health care.

Loading ...