Briefing / The New York health system

The major challenges facing the healthcare system in the United Kingdom – such as an increase in demand, workforce shortages, health inequalities, financial sustainability and information management – are common across the world. Despite different structures and funding arrangements in place, there is a lot to be learnt from countries with similar challenges and aspirations.

Caroline Clarke, NHS England’s new London regional director, took up her new role earlier this year with the aim of trying to make London’s health and care services the best they can possibly be. Wanting to visit a city comparable with London to see what works well elsewhere, New York was an obvious choice – both are large western cities with a population of almost nine million people and large disparities in life expectancy as you move from east to west.

Caroline’s visit to New York in June 2023 included discussions with the Greater New York Hospital Association, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York Health and Hospitals Association and the Coalition for Behavioural Health, as well as visits to health systems and sites in Staten Island, Montefiore and East Brooklyn. These visits provided a fantastic wealth of insight and we would like to thank all of those we met in New York who were so generous with their time.

This paper sets out the insights from the visit. Further reflections can be heard on the HFMAtalk episode, Across the pond: comparative healthcare systems in the US.