Almost time to remember ”1993” on checks; meanwhile, here are some other numbers worth remembering about the status of health care in the United States and around the world:
The percentage of the 13,000 doctors put through school so far by the National Service Corps-in return for four years of service in needy places
(like Cicely, Alaska, for you ”Northern Exposure” fans)-who actually kept their commitment to serve: 92 percent.
Percent of those doctors still there two years after their mandatory time expired: 20 percent.
Number of reports of problems with silicone-gel breast implants before the FDA acted to suspend their use: 3,400.
Number of children younger than 14 who have had to leave their homes in Bosnia-Herzegovina: 400,000.
Number of children in Bosnia-Herzegovina estimated to have undergone serious trauma as the fighting swirled around their homes: 400,000.
Position of cigarette smoking on the list of ”most important preventable causes of death in our society,” according to former Surgeon General Everett Koop: 1.
Life expectancy of babies born in U.S. in 1989 (last year for which figures are available): 75.3 years. Rise over previous year: 0.4 year. Rise among African-American babies: 0.
Percentage of U.S. children who had health insurance from their parents`
employer in 1977: 72.8 percent. Percent in 1987: 62.9 percent. Estimated percent of white children without coverage by end of century, unless system changes: 50 percent.
Estimated percent of black children: 80 percent.
Portion of American children who saw neither a doctor nor a dentist in the last year: one-third.
Years since HIV and AIDS were first noted: 12. Number of HIV-infected doctors, nurses and dentists known to have infected patients: 1.
Number of times Warner-Lambert`s Parke-Davis division raised the price of Dilantin, an epilepsy drug, by 12 percent in 1991: 2. Number of times Dilantin went up by 9 percent in 1990: 2.
Cost of in-vitro fertilization: $8,000 to $13,000 per attempt.
Average compensation for ”surrogate mother” who bears another`s child:
$10,000. Average compensation for lawyer who arranges birth: $10,000.
Alzheimer`s patients in Florida: 288,000.
Estimated Alzheimer`s patients in Florida by the end of this decade:
576,000.
Alzheimer`s place on national list of causes of death among older people: 4.
Average bill for coronary bypass surgery at Pennsylvania hospital with highest death rate (6.9 percent): $83,851. Average at Pennsylvania hospital with lowest bypass surgery death rate (2.2 percent): $21,063.
Portion of those on waiting lists for heart transplants who would be better off with aggressive medical treatment instead of the operation, according to a UCLA study: One-third.
Percentage of unnecessary MRI scans ordered by California doctors who are investors in the MRI center: 38 percent. Percentage of unnecessary MRIs ordered in California by doctors with no financial interest in the equipment: 28 percent.
One-year rise in deaths from AIDS among Americans 25 to 44 years old: 31 percent.
Average stay in local hospital for male heart attack patients before being transferred to large teaching hospitals for more sophisticated care: 2.4 days.
For women: 4.5 days. Likelihood of women`s being transferred at all, compared to males: One-half.
Estimated cost to food industry of new health-conscious labels ordered by government this week: $2 billion.
Savings in health care costs attributed to the new labels (estimated by Health and Human Services secretary): ”Multiple billions.”
