> Dana wrote: > fair enough. But based on my experience (perhaps skewed by it) they > start with a protocol and then if they see a lot of patients with a > given condition, may satrt to consider how to improve it. But the > protocol and the consensus are important. >
That's not true. Consider that there are 3 events in health care, ignoring who pays for them: (1.) Preventative "maintenance": good lifestyle choices (incl job), routine check ups, metrics-based monitoring. In general this going to determine your relative disease burden, and thus your cost to the system. Any system that doesn't include penalties for bad choices (and incentives for good ones) is going to VERY expensive. (2.) Care methodology once ill or with symptoms. Are tests ordered? If you have chest pains are they from that new workout routine or do we jump right into $200k worth of tests? "...by reimbursing providers for the effectiveness of treatment and not just the volume of tests and office visits costs can be controlled without cutting the quality or availability of care." "The Dartmouth researchers also identified incentives in the current fee-for-service payment system that can create big differences in cost with little difference in outcomes. For example, a hospital that buys the latest imaging technology has to look for ways to keep the machine busy to pay for it. If the hospital does not buy the machine, it risks losing business to a neighboring hospital." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31427909/ns/business-personal_finance/ (3.) Behavior post treatment. Do you follow doctor's orders? Do you take your medicine? Do you change bad habits? http://www.wwtdd.com/2009/06/christina-applegate-is-easily-relaxe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Want to reach the ColdFusion community with something they want? Let them know on the House of Fusion mailing lists Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:298725 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
