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5 steps to transform U.S. healthcare into a true ‘system

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In a MedPage Today piece, Stephen Parodi, M.D.,  chairman of the Council of Accountable Physician Practices (CAPP), a coalition of multi-specialty medical groups and health systems,  presents five things needed to improve America’s mediocre medical-delivery world.

He notes that ”to improve the healthcare industry’s quality and costs, we need a true ‘system,’ with coordinated care delivered by teams linked by technology that closes the gaps in our current fragmented structure. ”

His five steps are, in an edited version:

More Value-Based Care

“First, we must continue the march toward value-based care and away from fee-for-service payments. Payment by service discourages the cooperation and collaboration each and every patient deserves. Fee-for-service payment increases the likelihood of poor communication. In contrast, when healthcare providers are paid based on their ability to improve the patient’s condition, the care team and the patient can come together to achieve common goals. Consequently, outcomes are better, and resources are used wisely.”

Interoperability

“Second, we need to accelerate the journey toward interoperability. Everyone on the care team needs the latest information on the patient’s condition, at their fingertips at all times. When everyone is connected to the medical record, the best, most timely decisions are made and errors avoided.”

Balance Digital and In-Person Care

“Third, we must rapidly move forward to leverage digital communication in patient care and in physician-to-physician consults.”

Address Drug Prices

“Fourth, high drug prices must be addressed and remedied. When patients can’t afford their medications, they can’t get the treatment needed. … Fortunately, there may be bipartisan support for solving this problem. We need better, independent data to assess new therapies so we truly understand which patients need a particular treatment. We need to subject high drug prices to public scrutiny and oversight and give Medicare, purchasers, and patients more tools to rein in escalating drug prices.”

Let’s Set Standards

“Finally, we must establish common consensus standards to measure quality care. Patients, health plans, providers, government entities – everyone needs clarity on the high-impact, minimum set of quality measures that capture outcomes and patient experience. We must leverage the electronic medical record to lower the administrative burden of collecting measures.”

To read his whole article, please hit this link.

 

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