A Time for Planning
Could 2012 be a breakthrough year for healthcare?
By George Martin, MD – Senior Medical Director for Health Integrated
Whew! We made it. The end of another year. And a new year about to begin. Last week, we paused to reflect on the events of 2011. This week, we begin to plan for 2012.
For the moment, we believe that we have covered care management and the PCMH concept fully. Surely issues will develop in the coming months that will allow us to return to the topic but, for now, we will move on.
On to what, you ask? To the external forces that exist and how they are likely to impact the healthcare delivery system. Are they positive or negative for outcomes and how wll they impact people? Only time will tell.
Among those forces are whole arrays of players (not listed in any particular order):
- Patients and their caregivers
- Concerned citizens
- Providers including:
- Hospitals
- Physicians
- Home health care
- Chiropractors
- Physical and occupational therapists
- Long term care hospitals
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Nursing homes
- Nurse practitioners
- Insurance companies
- Government
- Employers
- Regulators
- Advocacy groups
- Others?
Each of these groups has an agenda  as well as fiscal needs. For many, the healthcare delivery system  represents their livelihood, for others their very existence.  Bringing these groups to consensus has not proven possible to date. Without such agreement a comprehensive solution is likely to be more divisive than inclusive of facilitating excellence in care and care delivery.
What do you think? Can we make a positive difference in healthcare in 2012?
Share your predictions with me! You can reach me directly at healthexecforum@healthintegrated.com, or comment directly in the blog.
As always, thanks for reading and for your input. We’ll be taking a break for the holidays and will be back with more thoughts on healthcare in January 2012.
George Martin, MD
TIME magazine declared the protestor as its person of the year for 2011. Maybe we can all unite around the patient in 2012? We, and those we love, will all be one at various times in our life. Here’s to a fantastic 2012. Thanks again Dr. Martin for your leadership and insights.
Yes, it would be fantastic if we could all rally around the PATIENT in 2012. Let’s hope.
Here’s to a successful and healthy New Year. Thank you for your readership and responses. Together, we can keep driving a difference in healthcare.
Thanks for your nice experience to share with us. Really awesome article with plenty of informative things to be known for us.