This summer I wrote a brief research paper comparing the healthcare system in Cuba to that of the United States as part of my physician assistant studies program. The paper was inspired by my recent trips to the isolated Caribbean nation. I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to study the healthcare system there and the first hand experience I had while I was there. The physicians in Cuba are very well trained, kind, and compassionate. If you’re as curious as I was about how the Cuban health system manages to keep it’s population healthier than the US at a tenth of the price, read the abstract below and check out the full text over at ResearchGate.
The success of the Cuban healthcare system in the face of economic hardship serves as an example of how to provide effective and equitable care at low cost. The core principles that drive that success are an emphasis on preventative healthcare and the conceptualization of healthcare as a basic human right, not a commodity. This paper investigates the innovations of the Cuban system in structure, community involvement, education, maternal care, and vaccinations. Public health statistics demonstrate the positive effect of each of these innovations. These innovations are contrasted with the preventative care found in the United States and the resulting health outcome statistics. Cuba’s success stems largely from the fact that the nation views healthcare as a basic human right, not a commodity.