Healthcare Reform and Connected Health - Your input requested by Dec 31st

[CC-Conrad Clyburn-MedForeSight]

Colleagues,

See following post from MedTechIQ member, Dr Joseph Kvedar, Director, Center for Connected Health...

"...there is a possibility that disproportionate emphasis will be placed on increasing access to care through universal coverage and to traditional health information technology, or electronic medical records (EMRs)... I’d like to suggest a broader policy palette, including incentives for providers to adopt more population health management tools and for patients/consumers to take more ownership of their health.”
- Joseph C. Kvedar, MD, Director, Center for Connected Health

As members of the Connected Health community, we have an unprecedented opportunity to make our voices heard on the subject of healthcare reform.

President-elect Obama, and his Presidential Transition Health Policy Team, led by Secretary of Health and Human Services Nominee Tom Daschle, is seeking input on healthcare reform issues and concerns. The feedback gathered via Community Discussions taking place across the country, between now and December 31, will be compiled into a report to help the Transition Health Policy Team. This information will help policy leaders to identify key issues and provide new ideas for promoting President-elect Obama’s vision of quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.

The Presidential Transition Team is looking for answers to questions like: How could public policy help Americans gain access to needed preventive services? How can public policy promote healthier lifestyles? And what should an employer’s role be in a reformed heathcare system?

We have the opportunity to bring the vision of Connected Health to President-elect Obama and his Administration. Please join in our Connected Health Community Discussion, and share your experience and your ideas on how Connected Health can help transform our healthcare system in meaningful ways.


In early January, we will submit a summary of our online discussion and recommendations from the Connected Health community to the Transition Health Policy Team.

Click here to read more and share your thoughts on healthcare reform

[Wm. LeRoy Heinrichs]

MedTechIQ members,
Dr Joseph Kvedar, Director, Center for Connected Health, has gotten the issues mostly right. The herculean task ahead must include the Personalized Healthcare tenants envisioned by HHS Sec'y Mike Leavitt, and the four years of work compiled by workgroups comprised of our peers. Emphasis on patient-specific diagnostics and therapeutics will save billions, and elevate the quality of healthcare and improve safety – no more reliance on 'let's see if this treatment works', and prescribing 'average' doses. Leavitt's four cornerstones for reform:
1. Quality standards – based upon recognized standards of practice, or in terms of outcomes for patients, or on both;
2. Cost comparisons, not in dollar amounts, but the quality and value we are purchasing in combination with the price. Also, values must be established for long-term preventative care;
3. Interoperable information technologies – beginning with the patient health record –the processes for gathering and understanding data, and our ability to share information among providers along the care-chain must be seamless, and
4. Value – payment systems need to identify and reward the delivery of high quality care in a cost-effective manner: that’s the value proposition!
Health IT in the Digital Age will save $81 billion annually (Rand Corp.), but hospitals, clinics, offices, rest-homes, etc. not only can't afford implementing EMRs, the computer-illiteracy of the profession continues to be a barrier. Perhaps the greatest barrier is the patient/consumer who requires motivation to use available resources for health improvement & maintenance. We've a huge educational process ahead to ameliorate these barriers. I've written primarily to call attention to http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/ahic/healthcare/, the November 2008 report from the Department of HHS.