Goals of a National Health Program for Meeting Health Needs

Abstract

There has been great progress in medical science and health care, but many problems remain. Life expectancy at birth has increased from forty-seven to seventy years since 1900, but most of the gain has been in the younger ages. The death rate from certain chronic diseases continues to increase. Medical research expenditures must continue to expand, but more research workers must be trained. To prevent a short age of physicians and research workers, the federal government should make matching grants to expand and modernize existing schools and assist in building new medical schools. More fel lowships and loan programs should be available for medical stu dents. Hospital room rates have doubled in ten years. There is need for better utilization of hospitals. To fit the facilities to the needs of the patients, greater use should be made of outpatient services, self-care units, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, and organized home care. Each metropolitan area should form a long-range planning council to co-ordinate all the health facilities in the community. There are still large gaps in health insurance coverage, especially for the aged, and in major medical protection. The logical plan for basic hospital insurance for the retired is one tied in with the social security system.