Technology does not equal good healthcare.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the Editor)

In the September 5 cover story, "The Best Healthcare in the World," Mr. Dennis Behreandt defends the American fee-for-service system, showing it to be far better than the socialized healthcare systems of other countries. With this I would agree. But what he and most Americans tail to recognize is that there is a tremendous difference between our "sophisticated diagnostic capabilities and treatments" and good healthcare. Yes, our system is the most technologically advanced in the world, but that technology is proving to be the nemesis of good healthcare for chronic degenerative diseases.

Technology and pharmacology can keep people alive, but know that there is a huge difference between being alive and having a quality life. Even so, in our attempt to keep people alive with our treatment of disease, more people in America die annually from iatrogenic causes (e.g. from the doctors, drugs, surgery, etc.) than all other causes of death combined. Plus, the jury is still out on the massive public health effort to eradicate diseases with ...