[gumby]

I read metehack's comment completely the opposite way: that a working records system is part of a functioning medical system and a consequence of a decision to have such a system.

In other words I interpreted the comment as making the point you make.

Having benefited from the French medical system (and having it treat my dad when he was visiting us) it's really quite good. People in the US (where I live) would laugh if they heard the way French people complain about their health care system: it's a dream by comparison. French complaints are like an American complaining that there is "too much room"

[clairity]

i mean, they focused on medical records as the core difference and referenced metrics to support that position.

it's true that functioning medical records could be a (small) part of an overall better and more efficient medical system, but it was positioned as the core solution that would unlock a better system overall. perhaps they had a different positioning in mind, but that wasn't the argument presented.