Algorithmic Triaging of Patients for Routine Care; a Path to Lower Costs

Most health system executives understand that significant changes are necessary in healthcare to adapt to the preferences of today's consumers while cutting costs and delivering quality care. A recent article quoted an executive of the Cleveland Clinic about three major trends that are shaping the health systems for the future (see:Why Today ’s Hospitals and Health Systems Need to Be More Patient-Centric to Fight Rising Costs). Below is an excerpt from it:“A central challenge for the United States is that between 18 to 20 percent of GDP is going to healthcare, and it’s on track to go higher,” saysEdmund Sabanegh,... President of the main campus hospital of the Cleveland Clinic.... “This explosive growth in expense is not sustainable and we cannot afford it as a country.” He discussed three trends that are emerging in response to this challenge and that will shape the hospital systems of the future. All of these trends amount to one thing: making healthcare more patient-friendly.[Patient centricity]“The hospitals and health systems of the future will need to be more patient-centric. Patients will not come to health systems- health systems will need to come to patients,” he says....But if there are clear algorithms in place for identifying patients who need much more advanced care, patients may be able to receive very routine kinds of services at much lower cost. ”Price transparency“Going forward, people are going to be able to shop for healt...
Source: Lab Soft News - Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Cost of Healthcare Healthcare Delivery Healthcare Information Technology Medical Research Quality of Care Telemedicine Source Type: blogs