Greenbeard
Gold Member
Today the Boston Globe had an interesting story about a major provider system in Massachusetts:
Why reorganize the way it does business to reign in costs now?
Bundled payments, an example of payment reform. This, of course, is one of many examples of the kind of things in ACA that are going to be really important in the long-term. Changing the way we pay for and deliver health care is crucial going forward if we want to get serious about improving quality and containing costs.
Good for those who are getting started early.
Partners planning reduction of costs
Health care president stresses affordability
By Liz Kowalczyk
Globe Staff / November 1, 2010
The states largest health care system says it will redesign care for thousands of patients and reduce administrative costs as part of a major new initiative intended in part to make treatment at its teaching hospitals more affordable.
Partners HealthCare, a physician and hospital organization that includes Massachusetts General and Brigham and Womens hospitals, also plans to launch a public education campaign early next year to improve its image, which has taken a pounding this year in the debate over soaring health care costs.
Dr. Gary Gottlieb, Partners president, has been introducing the initiative in a speech called The Case for Change to board members, executives and physician leaders at the organizations nine hospitals. He has told managers that Partners needs to go more on the offensive in telling its story, and to figure out when its right to use care and not just be driven by the transaction and demand for care in a given moment. [...]
Why reorganize the way it does business to reign in costs now?
As are other providers, Partners is under pressure to prepare for a new payment system that will essentially put doctors and hospitals on a budget, said Dr. Thomas Lee, head of Partners physician organization.
Over the next few years, insurers and government programs are expected to start paying providers a flat fee for treating a patient for a particular episode, or for caring for a patient during a particular time period rather than paying for each test, procedure, and appointment.
Bundled payments, an example of payment reform. This, of course, is one of many examples of the kind of things in ACA that are going to be really important in the long-term. Changing the way we pay for and deliver health care is crucial going forward if we want to get serious about improving quality and containing costs.
Good for those who are getting started early.