Healthcare Difference Between Us and India
HEALTHCARE IN THE UNITED STATES AND INDIAAXIA COLLEGENICOLE CAMPONOVEMEBER 21, 2010 |
Health Care in the United States is described as the “cottage industry” it has been fragmented at the national, state, community and practice levels. There is not one single entity or set of policies guiding the health care system; Furthermore, this fragile primary care system is on the verge of collapse according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission. (A. Shih, 2008) The fragmentation of our delivery system is a fundamental contributor to the poor overall performance of the U.S. health care system. In our fragmented system: * patients and families navigate unassisted across different providers and care settings, fostering frustrating and dangerous patient experiences; * poor communication and lack of clear accountability for a patient among multiple providers lead to medical errors, waste, and duplication; * the absence of peer accountability, quality improvement infrastructure, and clinical information systems foster poor overall quality of care; and * high-cost, intensive medical intervention is rewarded over higher-value primary care, including preventive medicine and the management of chronic illness.
No single policy will fix the fragmentation of our health care system. Rather, a comprehensive approach is required—one that might lead progressively to greater organization and better performance. The following strategies were recommended: (A. Shih, 2008)
* Payment reform. Provider payment reform offers the opportunity to stimulate greater organization as well as higher performance. The predominant fee-for-service payment system fuels the fragmentation of our delivery system. We recommend that payers move away from fee-for-service toward bundled payment systems that reward coordinated, high-value care. In addition, we recommend expanding pay-for-performance programs to reward high-quality, patient-centered care. The more organization in delivery
Health Care in the United States is described as the “cottage industry” it has been fragmented at the national, state, community and practice levels. There is not one single entity or set of policies guiding the health care system; Furthermore, this fragile primary care system is on the verge of collapse according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission. (A. Shih, 2008) The fragmentation of our delivery system is a fundamental contributor to the poor overall performance of the U.S. health care system. In our fragmented system: * patients and families navigate unassisted across different providers and care settings, fostering frustrating and dangerous patient experiences; * poor communication and lack of clear accountability for a patient among multiple providers lead to medical errors, waste, and duplication; * the absence of peer accountability, quality improvement infrastructure, and clinical information systems foster poor overall quality of care; and * high-cost, intensive medical intervention is rewarded over higher-value primary care, including preventive medicine and the management of chronic illness.
No single policy will fix the fragmentation of our health care system. Rather, a comprehensive approach is required—one that might lead progressively to greater organization and better performance. The following strategies were recommended: (A. Shih, 2008)
* Payment reform. Provider payment reform offers the opportunity to stimulate greater organization as well as higher performance. The predominant fee-for-service payment system fuels the fragmentation of our delivery system. We recommend that payers move away from fee-for-service toward bundled payment systems that reward coordinated, high-value care. In addition, we recommend expanding pay-for-performance programs to reward high-quality, patient-centered care. The more organization in delivery
References: A. Shih, K. Davis, S. Schoenbaum, A. Gauthier, R. Nuzum, and D. McCarthy, Organizing the U.S. Health Care Delivery System for High Performance, The Commonwealth Fund, August 2008 (A. Shih, 2008) Express Healthcare Mgmt. Business Publications Division, Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd., Express Towers, 1st floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 (Patel, 2005)