2060 was reviewed in the latest issue of the journal Family Medicine. Here is the link: https://journals.stfm.org/familymedicine/2023/november-december/br-salzman-0214/
I won’t repeat the entire review here, but here are the concluding thoughts:
Dr Young describes health care in other developed countries that provides better outcomes for substantially lower costs and makes the case that the societal values make the difference more so than the method of care delivery. While we in the United States avoid discussing limiting or eliminating expensive services that are marginally beneficial, other countries already do so. There, conversations start by acknowledging that resources are limited and entail determining how best to use what is available. Quality of life is valued more than quantity of life, as opposed to the typical American belief that any treatment that might be beneficial should be offered regardless of the associated cost, the degree of benefit, or the likelihood of associated suffering. Finally, for naysayers who might accuse Dr Young of painting an overly bleak outlook, he includes an appendix that details how he arrived at his predictions of what life might be like in 2060, lending even greater urgency to the need to address these critical issues.
Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable novel that alone would have been worth the read. The afterword and appendix made it even more thought-provoking, clearly making the case that something must change, or this may indeed be the future we are facing. I would recommend 2060 to anyone with an interest in health equity and/or health care finance. It would also be an excellent choice for a book club of physicians, residents, and students, and for interested health care executives. I share Dr Young’s hope that this is a topic that we will begin to address as a country.
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