If a simple ICU checklist can save lives and decrease the rates of catheter-related bloodstream infections up to 66%, then imagine what more sophisticated tools and technologies can do. We have a very robust and well-funded biomedical research enterprise in this country. Unfortunately, we don’t have anything equivalent to that on the delivery side. What we need is a healthcare delivery enterprise.

So how do we move in the direction of creating a healthcare delivery enterprise that provides evidence-based and high quality care in a cost efficient manner? The answer to this question is not simple but, to a large extent, it depends on formulating strategies to enhance the consumer experience. This raises another important question: who are the consumers in healthcare?

Traditionally, patients have been thought of as the primary consumers of healthcare services. Although this assumption makes sense, it is incomplete. Physicians are also part of the consumer equation. Without the direction and guidance of physicians, few of the healthcare goods and services could be “consumed” by patients. Physicians are the gate keepers. Ask my friend Jay Parkinson, MD, MPH and he will tell you why this is so crucial to understand.

So here’s another question: how do you enhance the consumer experience? I believe the best strategy would be to empower both patients and physicians.

We need to empower physicians to be able to freely make the best choices for their patients who rely heavily on their input for utilization of services. Physicians should have available to them novel models of practicing medicine, with minimal intrusion from third parties and other opportunistic entities. Physicians should adopt the use of innovative technologies to streamline work flow, documentation, and communication with patients. The bulk of the currently available EMRs and PMRs are far from being practical. We have to do better.

We need to empower patients to be able to choose from a menu of options for a particular service as recommended by their doctor. Giving patients more options should follow efforts to establish transparency for the cost and quality of services. The empowered patient and physician can work together to achieve the desired results.

ICU checklists are a good start. Hopefully, we will soon make the technology and imagination leap into the creation of more effective tools and an integrated healthcare delivery enterprise.

Filed under: Health Policy, Innovation