[lanestp]

This kind of article is a nonsense puff piece. Giving an example of receiving good or bad care in a health system is of no value. I have had incredibly positive and negative experiences with US hospitals and doctors but my experience is simply a data point.

As for the NHS the mother of a friend died due to negligence while being transported home. So it's not all good, which is why the system cannot be judged this way.

[Angostura]

luckily, there are statistics on patient satisfaction available for individual hospitals and the NHS as a whole which shows a good degree of satisfaction.

Of course no system is perfect and their are a number of hospitals in 'special measures' which means their management is replaced and they are in turnaround. I'm very sorry to hear about your friends mother. I assume it triggered a full investigation?

[refurb]

How do you compare satisfaction rates across countries? It's not easy.

As someone who has sxperienced the US and Canadian healthcare systems, I can confidently say most Americans would be deeply unsatisfied with aspects of the Canadian system. Yet Canadians love their system.

The waiting times for certain procedures in Canada, the lack of provider choice and the lack of access to the latest drugs/tech are just accepted in Canada. One reason why the US system is so expensive is the expectation of a lot of Americans that they get the absolute best healthcare out there, costs be damned

And yes, I'm generalizng with the comments. No need to call that out.

[sparkzilla]

I have had two family members die from NHS mismanagement. If they had been in the US system (which I have experienced first hand) they would most likely still be alive.

[kalleboo]

You just replied to someone decrying anecdotes with more anecdotes

[sparkzilla]

The plural of anecdote is not data. But while we're here...

[vilmosi]

Sometimes personal stories help deliver a message better than charts and graphs.

[nichochar]

You're right. The US system is exactly the same as the British one. Good job on your positive reinforcement, optimism cures.

[cookiecaper]

He's not saying that the systems are the same, just that good and bad experiences are had in both. Thus, a recounting of one smooth experience in the UK cannot be used to say that their system is inherently better than the American system.

The post basically says, "Wow, we got medical care and didn't have to pay for it!" Everyone already knows that Britons pay for health care out of their taxes and not at the time of service, so it doesn't really bring anything to the table, and certainly doesn't make a case for or against one system or the other.