When Excuses Run Dry: Transforming The U.S. Health Care System

Mainstream media have reported on the wide variation in clinical practice documented for years by health service researchers. Raising awareness of the quality and cost implications of clinical variation, however, is not enough to adopt clinical behavior based on the principles of evidence-based medi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHealth affairs (Millwood, Va.) Vol. 23; pp. VAR117 - VAR120
Main Authors Schaeffer, Leonard D, McMurtry, Dana E
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Chevy Chase The People to People Health Foundation, Inc., Project HOPE 2004
Subjects
Adoption of innovations
Attitudes
Clinical decision making
Clinical medicine
Computerized physician order entry
Consumers
Costs
Darling, Helen
Decision making
Evidence-based medicine
Genetic transformation
Health care
Health care expenditures
Health care policy
Health services
Incentives
Information technology
Investments
Mass media effects
Medicine
Patients
Pay for performance
Physicians
Quality
Quality improvement
Quality of care
Technology utilization
United States > US
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Summary:Mainstream media have reported on the wide variation in clinical practice documented for years by health service researchers. Raising awareness of the quality and cost implications of clinical variation, however, is not enough to adopt clinical behavior based on the principles of evidence-based medicine (EBM). Preoccupation with EBM's limitations- which can be overcome-and failure to address its misperceptions inhibit transformation to an evidence-based system of care and payment. Three reinforcing efforts are needed: aligning payment with quality; increasing the engagement of consumers; and accelerating investment in and adoption of information technology. Real transformation in health care requires changes in both culture and attitudes.
ISSN:0278-2715
1544-5208
DOI:10.1377/hlthaff.var.117