Wurzweiler Proffs Visit Cuba, Study Health Care

Drs. Susan Mason, David Strug and Joan Beder, faculty at Wurzweiler, have just returned from Cuba where they are working on a book on that country’s health care system.

The book, Community Health Care in Cuba: An Enduring Model will be published in 2008. It focuses on Cuba’s unique integrated health care system and examines health care at the local community level using an ecological perspective. Each chapter is grounded in data collected and analyzed by the authors themselves and is written by highly respected professionals in the health field and in the social sciences who either live in Cuba or who have traveled often to that country.

The authors have interviewed numerous officials of the Cuban government and have visited the homes of Cuban women and men to learn how their health system serves the people at the community level.

Dr. Mason told the What's New blog:

The Cuban health system has its flaws, but it is known internationally for its effectiveness while utilizing limited resources. There may be important lessons we can learn from them to improve our delivery of health services.

Any trip to Cuba is an exciting and powerful experience and this trip was no exception with interesting interviews and meaningful exchanges with Cuban heath care experts.