New National Scorecard on Health System Performance: U.S. Gets Only 64 Out of 100
<p>The U.S. health care system achieves a score of 64 out of 100 in the third <a href="/publications/fund-reports/2011/oct/why-not-best-results-national-scorecard-us-health-system">National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance</a>, released today by the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System. </p>
<p>Despite pockets of improvement, the United States as a whole failed to improve when compared with the top 10 percent of U.S. states, regions, health plans, or health care providers, or the top-performing countries. The scorecard measures the health system across 42 key indicators of health care quality, access, efficiency, equity, and healthy lives. In particular, the report notes significant erosion in access to care and affordability of care, as health care costs have risen far faster than family incomes. </p>
<p>The bright spots in U.S. performance have largely been in areas on which public reporting or collaborative improvement initiatives have focused, such as blood pressure control, hospital treatment of heart attack and pneumonia, and prevention of surgical complications, all of which have improved substantially across the country. </p>
<p>Most of the data used in the scorecard dates from 2007 to 2009, prior to enactment of the Affordable Care Act. As the report notes, the health reform law targets many of the areas where the U.S. falls short, particularly access, affordability, and support for more patient-centered, coordinated care. </p>
<p>Visit the <a href="/publications/fund-reports/2011/oct/why-not-best-results-national-scorecard-us-health-system">National Scorecard</a> page on commonwealthfund.org to download the report and check out the infographic. <br /></p>