We shall explore how U.S. health care contrasts with health care in advanced economies in Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, and China. We shall discuss payment, access, outcomes, quality, cost, medical education, research, frequency of certain services such as advanced imaging, and patient satisfaction. We shall focus on how care is organized and delivered, particularly the role the central government plays. We shall spend time in how the American care system evolved, which has led to significant differences in payment, cost of care, access, and the role of government compared to most other advanced economies. We shall explore best practices, particularly for quality of care and outcomes with special attention to errors, malpractice, and quality of care initiatives. Finally, we shall explore how centralized budgeting impacts care and care delivery. Does a central national budget lead to long waits for care and does it lead to care rationing? Does it impact innovation and scientific advancement? We shall address how AI may impact care in all the advanced economies for better or worse. 

This course will combine lectures with class discussions. There are no required books for this course.