Un Descrubremiento

After three years in northern Ohio at the University of Akron, I left in pursuit of a different type of education -- not one rooted in the sciences, but, rather, in language, culture, and personal strength. I landed in Nederland and backpacked down Western Europe, ultimately settling in Valencia, Spain -- the third largest city in the country, located on the Mediterranean Sea, and famous for oranges and seafood paella. There, I studied architecture, translation, literature, art, history, and more at the European Heritage Institute, a modestly sized Institute with just a few classrooms and a couple offices. Classes were intense for me, as I had only taken a few college level courses in Spanish to fulfill my degree requirements. This was in stark contrast to the students I was surrounded by, who were academically focused on the Spanish language. I thoroughly enjoyed the immersion and the material that I found myself able to grasp. As part of the program, I was given an Intercambio, which translates to “interchange.” The school paired each of us with someone from the area, essentially as an opportunity to connect with locals. My closest friend in the program, a fellow Ohioan, was paired with a young Spanish woman. She invited us both to Botellon, which is what the young adults do before patronizing clubs until 6 A.M. and which involves drinking alcohol in the streets among large crowds. I had the greatest time socializing and meeting so many different people. It was quite the experience mingling with the young professionals of the nation, immersed in the language and modern culture.
My Intercambio, was an older man, possibly in his fifties. When we first met, I was upset. I was jealous of my friend, and although I tried to remain enthused, I initially struggled. It wasn’t long, though, before the subject of his work came up. His English was poor, but I was capable of understanding his Spanish, and I quickly found that he was a medical surgeon. At such a small institute, it’s reasonable to assume that my transcript full of sciences had been the deciding factor in bringing us together as Intercambios. However likely you might deem that scenario, I took it as a great sign, as I had, since high school, desired an education in medicine. He immediately offered to have me shadow him at work and I jumped at every chance I got to learn from him. He was a colorectal surgeon, and under his tutelage, I saw some very interesting surgical procedures.

Based on my experience, the quality of healthcare in Spain seemed comparable to that of the United States, but statistical analysis argues that it is actually much greater. In 2000, the World Health Organization ranked Spain 7th among the 191 member states, while the United States fell at 31st. Additionally, the Common Wealth Fund has consistently highlighted the egregious state of healthcare in the United States. In five different reports conducted over the last twelve years (2014, 2010, 2007, 2006, and 2004), the United States has been ranked last among 11 developed countries studied – Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. According to the study, “the U.S. is last or near last on dimensions of access, efficiency, and equity” (Davis, et al.).

At the top of the 2014 study’s list was the United Kingdom, which operates the world’s largest publicly funded health care system, known as the National Health Service. Similarly, Spain's constitution guarantees the right to universal health care. As such, Spain operates a single-payer health care system provided by the State. Those opposed to universal healthcare typically cite long wait times for treatment as a risk to citizens, but a study highlighting the number of amenable mortalities in Spain and the United States shows the US as the worst among the 19 studied nations, and Spain with the 4th lowest number of amenable deaths.

So, why does the US consistently rank so poorly? In my opinion, the root of the issue is a lack of preventative care. If you are uninsured in the United States, you are much more likely to wait for an issue to progress before seeking medical attention, which often leads to the necessity of serious medical intervention. These interventions are much costlier and are likely why the US has, by far, the highest healthcare expenditures per capita than any other nation. The US also suffers from a shortage of primary care physicians, and it is expected that the need will continue to increase in coming years. I’m of the opinion that the naturopathic physician can fill the growing demand for primary preventative care and subsequently help reduce the overall cost of healthcare. Additionally, I stand behind the idea that healthcare should be a right provided to everyone within the borders of our country. Not only would this provide peace of mind to all those in need of healthcare coverage, but it would also contribute to the overall productivity of the nation, providing a healthy workforce. The Affordable Care Act has provided some legal basis for the expansion of insurance coverage to include naturopathic physicians, and even the recent election of Donald Trump, who has vowed to dismantle the ACA, will unlikely undo this window of opportunity for the naturopathic doctor. With anti-establishment candidates moving to the forefront of national politics, I’m optimistic that the change in political climate may weaken special interests, which have corrupted much of the healthcare industry, loosening their hold on political agendas and opening new avenues for increasing wellness and improving health outcomes in the US.
 
References:
K. Davis, K. Stremikis, C. Schoen, and D. Squires, Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, 2014 Update: How the U.S. Health Care System Compares Internationally, The Commonwealth Fund, June 2014.

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