Tom Lawry • February 7, 2025

The Conversation Americans Should Be Having as the United States Pulls Out of the World Health Organization

Two weeks ago President Donald Trump made waves in the global health community by issuing an Executive Order to pull America out of the World Health Organization (WHO).


Founded in 1948, WHO is an agency of the United Nations whose charter is to plan and coordinate the international response to health emergencies as well as help countries monitor, prepare, and recover from disease threats.  While not without controversy, WHO is the most recognized global forum for predicting and planning for events affecting the health of humans across the planet.


Media coverage of the US withdrawal has focused on political rancor (Trump believes WHO mishandled the pandemic) and funding (While the US is one of 194 participating countries, it funds almost 20% of the agency’s $6.8 billion budget). [i]


As the new Administration gives up America’s seat at the table for global health planning, it's important to shine a light on very real issues impacting the health and well-being of Americans. They are worth public scrutiny and debate starting with this statement:


America is a First-World Nation Battling its Own Third-World Health Crises


America’s health care system is the most expensive in the world. It’s staffed with some of the world’s best health and medical talent. Despite this, we are at the bottom of the list in overall health compared to all developed nations. This includes access to care, administrative efficiency, equity, and health care outcomes. [ii]


 Americans are among the least healthy people in the rich world and among the most likely to die early.


The richest men in America live longer than the average man in any country. The poorest have life expectancies comparable to men in Sudan and Pakistan.[i] 


If you are a citizen of Mississippi, you probably won’t live as long as someone from Bangladesh. [ii] [iii] [iv]


Maternal mortality rates for American women are worse than in most third-world countries. Even more unexplainable is that Black women are three times more likely to die of childbirth than White women. This gap is worse today than it was when we began keeping records in the early 1900’s.[i] 


America is a global leader in avoidable amputations. This is mainly due to the improper management of diabetes, which impacts 38.4 million Americans.[ii]


30 million Americans die prematurely each year from preventable diseases. Twenty-seven percent of US health-care spending goes to managing health conditions that are preventable.[iii]


As the World Health Organization focuses on increasing its investments in global Public Health, it’s important to note that America’s investment in similar Public Health services is declining.


Winston Churchill once said, “Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.” And so, as we discuss and debate America’s role in creating a healthier world through organizations like WHO, let us actively debate and decide what priorities we will invest in to improve the health of the 330 million people who call America home.



  [i] Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Healthier Mothers and Babies, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Healthier Mothers and Babies (cdc.gov)

[ii] NICHOLAS KRISTOF, How Do We Fix the Scandal That Is American Health Care? New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/16/opinion/health-care-life-expectancy-poverty.html?smid=em-share

[iii] Sandro Galea, Nason Maani, The Cost of Preventable Disease in the US, The Lancet, October, 2020, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30204-8/fulltext
  [i] Raj Chetty, Michael Stepner, Sarah Abraham, Shelby Lin, Benjamin Scuderi, Nicholas Turner, Augustin Bergeron, and David Cutler, Income and Life Expectancy in the United States: Executive Summary, The Health Inequality Project, April 2016, https://www.healthinequality.org/documents/paper/healthineq_summary.pdf 

[ii] NICHOLAS KRISTOF, How Do We Fix the Scandal That Is American Health Care? New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/16/opinion/health-care-life-expectancy-poverty.html?smid=em-share

[iii] Life Expectancy at Birth by State, National Center for Health Statistics, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/life_expectancy/life_expectancy.htm (cdc.gov)

[iv] Life Expectancy at Birth – Bangladesh, World Bank Group https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?locations=BD
  [i] https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/what-is-the-world-health-organization-and-why-does-trump-want-to-leave-it/ar-AA1xFf0l?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[ii]Mirror, Mirror 2024: A Portrait of the Failing U.S. Health System, Commonwealth Fund, September, 2023, https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2024/sep/mirror-mirror-2024

HIMSS AI Forum Keynote - Review by Medika Life

By Tom Lawry • July 14, 2025
I was in New York last week to do the opening Keynote for the HIMSS 2025 AI Forum. It was a great international gathering to review and discuss the state of AI in health and medicine. My keynote for this event focused on how AI is driving fundamental changes in the provision of health and medical services as a backdrop to what I call the "AI Leadership Imperative." Done right, AI is not about technology. It's about EMPOWERMENT. 2025 is the year health and medical leaders must move away from Fear of Missing Out as a motive and put in place the people and processes necessary to use AI to drive value at scale across health enterprises.  For a deeper look at what I covered in my HIMSS talk, GO HERE for a thoughtful review of my session by Gil Bashe of Medika Life.

Commemorating Juneteenth

By Tom Lawry • June 19, 2025
As we commemorate Juneteenth, let us recognize that, despite decades of progress, systemic disparities persist in who gets care, when, and how. These gaps are rooted in the embedded policies, norms, and practices that advantage some and disadvantage others. Health care is a noble cause, and it needs our help. I hope you will take a few minutes to reflect on the information I’ve excerpted from my new book, Health Care Nation. Each of us has the power to make a difference. Health equity isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s a path toward a more just and prosperous future for all of us. T.

On the Air in NYC to Talk About My New Book

By Tom Lawry • June 10, 2025
This week, I hit the airwaves on Shake It Off—a talk radio show reaching listeners across the greater New York City area—to share the story behind my new book Health Care Nation. We didn’t just talk health care. We talked movement building . I believe it’s time for citizens and clinicians alike to raise their voices—not just in frustration, but in reimagining what American health care could be . If you're ready to challenge the status quo and be part of a smarter, more humane system, give this a listen .

Responsible AI - Free Download for Healthcare Leaders

By Tom Lawry • May 21, 2025
Everyone’s talking about Responsible AI. But when it comes to actually putting principles into practice, the follow-through is often inconsistent. That’s why I’ve adapted a leadership module I use in my advisory work and made it available as a free download. It’s designed to help clinical and operational leaders ask—and answer—three key questions that reveal how well their organization is developing, implementing, and managing AI in ways that truly serve all patients and consumers. If you're serious about making Responsible AI real, not just rhetorical, this tool is a great place to start. Go here to download this guide.

MedPage Today Op-Ed

By Tom Lawry • May 16, 2025
I have just published an op-ed piece in MedPage Today, which is an excerpt from a chapter in my book, Health Care Nation. In many ways, health care has become America’s largest escape room. We’ve locked our most talented health care experts and consumers in with a staggering $4.7 trillion of our own money. The problem is that we haven’t figured out how to escape the maze of convoluted policies, skewed financial incentives, and entrenched traditions that are steering amazing people and 17.3% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the wrong direction. Go here to learn more.

Las Vegas Talk Show Interview

By Tom Lawry • May 13, 2025
Maria Ngo hosts a talk show in Las Vegas called THE STRIP LIVE. She typically interviews celebrities like Tony Bennett, Kevin Costner, and Sir Richard Branson. Needless to say, I was surprised to have a text from Maria wanting to talk when I landed in Las Vegas to speak at HIMSS and a launch event for my new book, Health Care Nation. Go here to watch this fun interview . Maria brings an energy level to her work that is contagious. We covered everything from the new book, the future of AI, to mentoring advice.

South China Morning Post - Exploring How AI is Changing Healthcare

By Tom Lawry • April 9, 2025
The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong's largest daily newspaper. This article appeared in the April 9th edition where I discuss how AI is already reshaping healthcare and look ahead to envision how it will improve health on a global scale.

Interview by Health Populi About My New Book Health Care Nation

By Tom Lawry • April 3, 2025
I had the opportunity to sit down with Jane Sarasohn-Kahn to talk about my new book, Health Care Nation - The Future is Calling and It's Better Than You Think . From defining why the American Health System is going in the wrong direction, to discussing the power of a citizen-driven movement, this review gets at the heart of why I wrote this book. Go here f or our discussion. Go here to bookmark this highly-rated blog reporting on transformation issues and opportunities in health and medicine. T.

Health Care Nation Launches - Amazon Names as #1 New Release

By Tom Lawry • March 31, 2025
Friday, March 28th was the official launch date for Health Care Nation-The Future is Calling and It's Better Than You Think . It is now available through all major booksellers. Amazon named it the #1 (Audible Version) and #2 (Paperback Version) New Release in the Health Care Management Category and the #1 New Release in Health Policy. If you are curious, go here to listen to the Preface and Chapter 1. Special thanks to those who pre-ordered or purchased the book early. T.

Politics Done Right Podcast - Talking about my new book - Health Care Nation

By Tom Lawry • March 24, 2025
Egberto Willies is a podcast host and commentator who always tries to tease out the "real story" happening behind the scenes of news today. I had the opportunity to sit with Egberto and talk about why America spends more on health care than any other country, and yet, we as citizens are the least healthy in the developed world and most likely to die early. I covered some of the key issues found in my new book, Health Care Nation. Go here to listen to our wide-ranging conversation on health care and our ability to reimagine a better use of our talented health professionals and resources.
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