'I Will Keep Them From Harm And Injustice.' -- Doctors

Part 1 of 10: Identifying and Reducing Readmissions Rates It's no secret that America's health care system needs intensive care. $180 billion is wasted every year on operational inefficiencies, and the condition is not improving. This is largely attributed to a fee-based system that incentivized volume over value. In 2010, the Affordable Care Act made health care providers an offer they couldn't refuse -- a mandate to increase efficiency or feel the pain of stiff financial penalties. This ideology shifted the practice from fee for service to value-based care. Loved it or loathed it, health care providers are forced to play with the cards they were dealt with. As with all illnesses, we begin with identifying the symptoms of a broken health care system, so we can follow through with a diagnosis and treatment. In this ten-part series, we will: Identify the most pressing challenges facing our health care system Address opportunities for improvements, and Make recommendations for enhancements Finding solutions to fix our health care system won't be resolved overnight, but it is prudent to focus on the elements that are causing inefficiencies. Then implement noninvasive solutions that are quick, intelligent, and cost-effective. Challenge #1: Readmission When our vehicle breaks down, we go to the mechanic to get it fixed. We expect our vehicle to function after our visit because it is part of a mechanic's duty of care. Similarly, a doctor's obligation is to treat pati...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news