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> Critical Condition

Program Description

Critical Condition (2000) - Will good health care be there for you and your loved ones when you need it? "Critical Condition," a probing three-hour PBS Pre-election issue special, reports on the quality of American health care, especially for the people who need it most. Four distinct sections focus on some of the most critical groups and issues shaping the face and quality of health care in America. "The Chronically Ill" focuses on how care is delivered - and denied -- to the sickest Americans, from infants to seniors. "The Uninsured" looks at the 44 million uninsured Americans, most of them working in jobs that simply don't provide health care benefits, and the effects on the health care system. "The Idealistic HMO" profiles patient-oriented Kaiser Permanente as they struggle to provide quality health care without going broke and in contrast to more traditional HMOs like Humana. "The Quality Gap" reports and efforts by the medical profession to establish clear quality standards and pursue them effectively, to help reduce the between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths that result from medical errors each year.

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Show Transcripts

• The Quality Gap
• The Chronically Ill
• The Ideallistic HMO
• The Uninsured

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