We’ll begin this course with a review of the American medical system and the factors that have shaped its development over the past 100 years. We will explore the unique features of the American political system and culture which have influenced how our medical system is different from those in other advanced countries. In comparing and contrasting systems across the globe, we will consider variables such as cost, percent GNP devoted to health care, quality, how care is organized, system complexity, role of government, access to care, who pays, how much and how. We will discuss the impact of electronic health records, the impact of technology, regulatory issues, entrepreneurial behavior and research. Throughout the course, we will aim to determine whether our care is fundamentally different from other countries or more similar than it may seem at the surface. Finally, we will consider what we can learn to make our care system better from studying this peer group and vice versa.