A recent article in Health Affairs, Choosing Wisely Campaign: Valuable for Providers Who Knew About It, But Awareness Remained Constant, 2014-17 by Colla and Manior, explored how care providers had participated in a campaign to discuss low value vs. high value care with their patients before making care decisions. Unfortunately, not only did awareness of this campaign not… Read More »
The healthcare environment has undergone rapid change in a short period of time for an industry notoriously slow to adapt. Some of those changes include a shift to pay-for-value, increased focus on outcomes, and most recently a complete overhaul of the physician payment model for Medicare beneficiaries. Those of us steeped in care delivery have seen increased physician… Read More »
In continuing to discuss the cost of healthcare and its sustainability, we must analyze consumer behaviors and dissect the role they play. For many reasons, healthcare will never be a legitimate market-driven business, nor should it be because it involves important social dynamics. However, there are several aspects of a consumer-based market that are applicable. Shared decision making… Read More »
I believe we create false distinctions between healthcare and non-healthcare services. Recently I read with great interest a study that explored this issue by Vickery, et al, Cross-Sector Service Use Among High Health Care Utilizers in Minnesota After Medicaid Expansion in Health Affairs. The authors reviewed the service utilization of enrollees across the domains of healthcare, housing, criminal… Read More »
People do not choose when they become sick, injured or require needed services. Other industries comprehend the nature of their businesses and provide coverage that is appropriate to the defined needs. Within the realm of healthcare, this same type of delivery approach is not evident. Ambulatory services tend to follow “banking” hours. Surgeons schedule their cases based on… Read More »
Leaders grapple with problems every day. Our particular ecosystem is complex and complicated. Understanding the dynamics of the questions themselves and tradeoffs that must transpire is critical for thoughtful decisions and for framing the conversations that must occur. Human nature gravitates towards simplification and it is our responsibility to constantly elevate the conversation to a level that better… Read More »
We place a great deal of emphasis and focus on attempting to design models of care and services that address the consumer’s wants and needs. We discuss the need for patient-reported outcomes and shifting our metrics to those that are more patient-focused, such as shared decision making. We include patient advocates in our discussions and involve patients in… Read More »
Frequently we hear the phrase “work to the top of your license.” Additionally, operational efficiencies focus on this point. Furthermore, segregating activities by function is a proven methodology for improving throughput and standardization. But when we consider these in tandem with the physician role, we often throw this logic out the window. When practicing full time, I vividly… Read More »
As we roll into a new year, it is common to take a moment to self-reflect over the previous year(s). In doing so, particularly when it comes to our failures, we realize that there have been both moments and times where we wish the clock could be re-wound. Recollecting our snafus often causes a visceral reaction: our pulse… Read More »
An epidemic is the rapid spread of an infectious disease in a large population within a short time frame. Unfortunately, not being an infectious disease, the opioid crisis does not fall into such a category. Yet, it is a rapidly expanding problem that is deadly and requires immediate attention. In the pursuit of treating the pain of those… Read More »