Here are 10 ways to create a better healthcare system, according to the American College of Physicians.
Members of the American College of Physicians have voiced their concerns over the American healthcare system in a new statement. This statement has been published as series of policy papers entitled “Better is Possible: The American College of Physicians Vision for the U.S. Health Care System" and is a supplement in Annals of Internal Medicine. The following slideshow highlights the main issues mentioned.Â
1. Everyone has coverage for and access to the care they need, at a cost they and the country can afford.
2. Social factors that contribute to poor and inequitable health are addressed. Barriers to care for vulnerable and underserved.
3. Payment and delivery systems put patient interests first, and support physicians and their care teams in delivering high value, patient centered care.
4. Unnecessary administrative spending costs are redirected to funding health care coverage and research, public health, and interventions to address social determinants of health.
5. Clinicians and hospitals deliver high value, evidence-based care within available resources, and the public and physicians are involved in determining priorities and allocating funding and resources.
6. Primary care has equitable payment levels between complex cognitive care and procedural care, and payment systems support the value that internal medicine specialists bring to patient care.
7. Financial incentives are aligned to achieve better patient outcomes, lower costs, and reduce inequities in health care.
8. Inefficient administrative and billing tasks are removed, documentation requirements are simplified, payments and charges are more transparent and predictable, and delivery systems are redesigned to make it easier for patients to navigate and receive needed care conveniently and effectively.
9. Value based payment programs support clinical care team collaboration and use only appropriately-attributed, evidence-based, and patient-centered measures.
10. Health information technologies enhance the patient-physician relationship, facilitate communication across the care continuum, and support improvements in patient care.
