The low grades received from the private foundation health care research group ranked the U.S. with a score of 66 out of a total 100.
The Commonwealth Fund Commission's aim is to promote better health care systems with better access, quality and efficiency, especially for low-income individuals and the uninsured.
The AP reports that the Commonwealth Fund Commission stated the following areas in which the U.S. ranked lowest: healthy life expectancy, infant mortality, nursing home care, uninsured access to health care and electronic information systems. However, the U.S. ranked number one in health care costs.
The Commission reports that although the U.S. spends more money on health care than other countries, the overall performance of the health care system within the U.S. ranks much lower.
More specifically, according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission report, "The U.S. has some of the best-equipped hospitals and best-trained physicians in the world. With much dedication to helping patients, they often provide extraordinary care. Nevertheless, the evidence clearly shows that, overall, the performance of the U.S. health care system falls far below the level it can and should achieve. On many dimensions of performance-from timely access to needed services to the deployment of health information technology-we lag behind other industrialized nations. Within our own borders, there are wide disparities from region to region and from state to state."
The Commission also reports that the reason for the problem in the U.S. is that the allocations of resources are not being efficiently utilized.
Reportedly, there are also tens of thousands of Americans who die annually from preventable errors.
The Commonwealth seeks to head the U.S. health care system onto a path that would provide not only higher quality care and efficiency, but greater access and equality for all Americans.
The 18-member Commonwealth Fund Commission was formed in 2005 that originated with the philanthropic efforts of the Harkness family.
