In this episode of Respecting Health, we look at Greed! Have you ever wondered about high prices, or why some countries can provide healthcare for everyone while others cannot? The discussion in this episode pulls aside the curtain and looks at this challenging topic.

As always on Respecting Health, we talk values. Values can have negative or positive effects on people and societies. When it comes to the United States health system, the idea of greed has probably crossed everyone’s mind at one time or another. Greed and health seem at odds with each other, yet they are now deeply intertwined, and it can be exhausting to even think about how to disentangle the two. It is a complicated, emotional, and political mess.

My guest in this episode is Donald Berwick. His article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) titled “Salve Lucrum: The Existential Threat of Greed in US Health Care” directly addresses this issue. Dr. Berwick is a pediatrician and member of the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He is the founder of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. He was also appointed by President Obama as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where he served in 2010 and 2011. He has been a long-term advocate for the continual improvement of healthcare systems. I spoke to Dr. Berwick about his article, greed in the health system, and its effect on the economy, society, and people both as patients and care professionals.

I welcome your opinion and suggestions on this podcast. How is it where you live? Do you have any suggestions for future guests or topics? This podcast series is for everyone, not just for those in the health sector. Regardless of your professional role, we all engage with the care system at one time or another, and we welcome your comments.

Just scroll down below the player to the comment section. Or, send an email to feedback@respectinghealth.com.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:18 — 28.4MB)

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