Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Coming full circle, MVNHS© edition

Over the years, we've chronicled the many shortcomings of the Much Vaunted National Health System©, including its decision to pay for breast enlargements for teens but not spinal cord surgeries for tots.

And remember, this is one of the key models for our own shiny new healthcare scheme. That's because the rocket surgeons in Britain and Washington believe that government-run health care beats the private sector.

Comes now proof that they're both wrong:

"A failing NHS hospital has been voted the best for patient care just two years after it was taken over by a private company."

A scant 24 months ago, Hinchingbrooke hospital was described as a "basket case," almost $70 million in debt, unable to even keep and maintain accurate records.

What changed?

Turning its operation over to a private, for-profit partnership called "Circle." According to the firm's website, they now run 5 different "trusts" (hospitals), with Hinchingbrooke being the most recent (and perhaps most dire) client. In just two years, its mortality and re-admission rates, as well as the speed with which its able to treat cancer patients have all improved to award-winning status.

So what's the lesson here?

I think this sums it up:

"The key to their success was bringing business practises into the hospital ... Now there’s a future for the hospital and we know through the security of the contract that they can operate for a certain period"

Imagine that.
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