Freakonomics, M.D.

65. How Do Pandemics Change Health Care?

Dec 16, 2022
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INSIGHT

1918 Healthcare Landscape

  • In 1918, healthcare was vastly different; hospitals primarily served the working poor and chronically ill.
  • Doctors had limited treatment options for illnesses like the flu or pneumonia, mainly providing rest and fluids.
ANECDOTE

Pandemic Overwhelms Hospitals

  • The 1918 flu pandemic, amidst WWI, overwhelmed hospitals with patients due to widespread illness and staff shortages.
  • This crisis prompted communities to address their healthcare deficiencies.
INSIGHT

Hospitals Transform

  • The 1918 flu, coinciding with medical advancements like X-rays and germ theory, transformed hospitals.
  • Hospitals became hubs for these technologies, driving their evolution into a more complex and costly industry.
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