Deloitte’s Center for Health Solutions released its annual survey of global consumers regarding health care. Citizens of the United States, France, Germany, Great Britain, Canada and Switzerland were surveyed. (Deloitte Survey) Six major areas were asked about: wellness; information sources; health insurance; health policy; use of traditional health services and use of alternative health services. Deloitte describes the residents of all the countries as somewhat satisfied, disconnected from costs and passive about the system.
While it is not possible to report all the interesting findings; here are some tidbits. In every country, the great majority of citizens say they don’t understand how their health system works. Only in France and Switzerland do a majority of citizens give their system an A or B. Self-reported health status is highest in the US and Canada; the two countries with the highest per capita spending. Only about 1 in 5 persons are in a wellness program. A majority in every country have an interest in remote monitoring tools to help them manage their care. People want access to online health tools, but many are concerned about privacy.
Most consumers in all countries don’t compare hospitals or physicians before using one. If health information is needed, in all countries medical associations and academic medical centers are the most trusted source. Most were satisfied with the most recent care they received at a hospital or from a physician, with the US leading by a fair amount on hospital satisfaction and Switzerland and Canada on physician satisfaction, although all countries were closely grouped. A small minority use alternative health services. More people in the US consider themselves to be well-insured than in the other countries, which is fascinating given that the US is the only country with significant numbers of uninsured persons.
The survey results are not only interesting, but in some cases, counter-intuitive to what might have been expected.
The Healthy Skeptic is a website about the health care system, and is written by Kevin Roche, who has many years of experience working in the health industry. Mr. Roche is available to assist health care companies through consulting arrangements through Roche Consulting, LLC and may be reached at 
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