Driving on the Left and Healthcare is a Right

    Arrival in New Zealand brought with it the immediate challenge of learning to drive on the left side of the road.  Kim and I had traveled in the UK early in our marriage, but only traveled by rail there, subsequently missing out on our chance to gain a new skill.  Now with the kids in tow, keys handed to us by Bob from the Northland Rural GP Consortium, and bags stuffed into the Toyota Camray,  we were off to Kerikeri.
    I am happy to say that despite the jet lag of our 26 hours of travel we arrived safe and sound in Kerikeri.  Sure our windshield was extra clean (US drivers, the wiper lever in NZ vehicles is where you are comfortable reaching to use your turn signal), and there were a couple of near misses at the roundabouts during the four hour drive.  Our biggest saving grace is that we were able to tailgate Bob all the way to our house in the Northland.  My chance to prove that I have learned there are times to take the lead, and there are times to safely follow.
   Between the brief stints of actual driving from road construction to road construction sites, and while Kim and the kids caught some sleep, I had the chance to look forward to working here in New Zealand.  I was particularly interested in the differences of practicing in a country where healthcare has been legislated to be universally available to all.  Essentially made a right to for all New Zealanders to be able to obtain healthcare.
    In 1938 the Labour Government established the Social Security Act in New Zealand to try and secure free and universally available healthcare to all.  Not suprisingly, the Labour Party attempt was  opposed by the Medical Association (damn doctors) who did not want to become state employees.   Over the years since then, there have been various government attempts to either privatize portions of the system, cut back services, extend services, break it up into districts, etc.  Nevertheless, what remains is a government run healthcare system that now consistently ranks better than the US in a variety of categories including longevity of its citizens, neonatal and infant mortality, and percentage of GDP spent on healthcare.
   The above history of New Zealand healthcare is very similar to all of the debate that took place during our recent healthcare reform attempt in the US.  Of course I do not know the history of New Zealand  well enough to know if there was a pundit such as Glen Beck who could manipulate the propaganda to distract from the actual needs of the country.  Then again, a propaganda artist would not have compared the New Zealand prime minister to a Nazi since the horrors of that comparison were not yet known.  So I contemplated the kidding from the New Zealanders who helped us get here when they said, "You Americans drive on the wrong side of the road!"  Maybe we Americans are still on the wrong side of the road when it comes to healthcare.  I am excited to find out the difference. 
      Until work starts, it is time to enjoy the beauty of our new backyard.