Doctors are happier in New Zealand and my APC.

Today I met with Imojini Kotelawala of The Medical Council of New Zealand in Wellington to get my APC (Annual Practicing Certificate). My APC will allow me to practice Cardiology in New Zealand for the next year. I start as senior consultant in Cardiology at Palmerston North Hospital on April 2nd. Today I found out Kiwi GP's are pretty happy compared with the rest of the world. In a survey of primary care doctors 82% of Kiwi GP's are satisfied or very satisfied in their work, this is in contrast only 68% of GP's in the US. While 53% of Kiwi doctors feel the system works well only 15% of US doctors feel the system works well. A lot of the frustration stems from a lack of health-care access in the US. In 2012 59% of American doctors reported that their patients had difficulty paying for care. Also, there appears to be a problem with coordination of care in the US. 55% of New Zealand primary care doctors say they always receive information about patients visit to the ER opposed to 23% in the US. Only 16% of primary care doctors in the US are notified about changes to patients medication while 44% are notified in New Zealand.  Despite this the unit costs for health care are significantly higher  in the Unite States. Clearly the health care system in the United States is broken and in need of repair.

Washington Post November 15, 2012