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The Business of Health Care Report
This week I'll continue our
discussion about what Metroplex business leaders think about health care reform. In recent forums with local
business leaders, several themes emerged about how a better health care policy
might be shaped for America. First, empower personal responsibility
and self-management by providing information and education. Second, prevention must
be prevalent and saves in the long run. Third, greater innovation, coordination and
collaboration will be required to achieve a better health care system for America. And
finally, expectation adjustments will be needed to bring cost, quality and service in line
with accessibility to basic health care for all. On the subject of care for all,
participants said any form of universal coverage must involve utilization control and
likely more government oversight. But Americans would have to accept a new framework
for care, with limited locations and longer waits as examples. Empowering consumers with information
received heavy discussion, including education to assist consumers in knowing when to access
care and the appropriate level of care. In addition, health care organizations and physicians
should make more information available to consumers about their quality outcomes so
consumers can evaluate and choose. Incentives for high quality-low cost providers were
suggested. Reducing pharmaceutical costs, reducing
emergency room use, paying for experimental procedures, providing culturally appropriate
care and employer incentives were other suggestions for improvement. Business leaders are clearly concerned and energetically engaged around the subject of improving health care. Join us April 6 in Fort Worth for another business leaders dialogue about "Creating a Better Health Care Policy for America," co-sponsored by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Visit TexasHealth.org to find out more. For Texas Health Resources
and its family of hospitals - Harris Methodist Hospitals, Presbyterian
Healthcare System and Arlington Memorial Hospital - I'm CEO
Doug Hawthorne
with "The Business of Health Care Report" on NewsRadio 1080 KRLD.
©
2004 Texas Health Resources |
I'm Doug Hawthorne, President and CEO of Texas Health Resources, with
"The Business of Health Care Report" on 