Check out this Thomas Friedman New York Times op-ed on the state of the US, using educational status as a barometer of national prominence. It makes a scary point about being #11 among 100 best nations in the world according to Newsweek. OK, I don't worship Newsweek; nor am I down on the future of America. But diagnosing our reality honestly is key to improving our future. And I think Friedman is right on about a major predictor of our destiny -- our competitiveness in educating our next generation(s) as compared to other developed (and developing nations!). We're not doing well. And apathy and self-centeredness is a major part of it he contends.

Could we be Number 11 in health care soon? We definitely still have the most sophisticated and well-trained health care workforce in the world, and we have the best access to the latest technology and evidence-based care. But we're definitely far from Number 1 (maybe number 30?) in overall population based health status, in large part a result of socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and uneven access to the best care. The numbers of uninsured also contributes heavily.

Quite frankly, our next generation of health care workers will be adversely affected if we allow an ongoing mediocrity in our educational system. And, we could downgrade our health care status independently by undermining the future of health care by cheapening it down under the rubric of health reform done poorly. We need health reform to regain our rightful #1 overall status in health care -- including in population based health status -- but it needs to be done right, and it needs resources. Most importantly, health reform needs the leadership of physicians and the health professions over the very critical next several years. There will be political roller coasters to ride. But, let's not be apathetic, folks. That makes us victims, rather than leaders. Carpe Diem!

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