Future of Health Care, In Retrospect

No endeavor that is worthwhile is simple in prospect; if it is right, it will be simple in retrospect.”

Edward Teller (1908-2003), theoretical physicist

In retrospect,

Seventy years ago

The big idea sounded simple

Awaken the doctors

Put them on salary

Organize and unite them

Around a common purpose

Serving and engaging patients

Better at lower costs

Guide, direct, and control

All aspects of care

From health plans

To hospitals, to clinics

To doctors

Think big

Think about what makes a difference

Think systematically

Think in terms of big systems

Think about what patients need

Develop it for  them

Give it to them

Think as a team

Continuously improve

Build on your base

Involve everybody

Praise them lavishly

Remind them where you’ve been

Remind them where you’re going

Set goals

Meet your targets

Think about the big picture

Think about how the big problems

Organize to solve them in a big way

Think about the big chronic illnesses

Think about what kills people too soon

Prevent  what  kills them prematurely

Think how to minimize complications

Continuously educate patients

Recognize five major illnesses

Cause 70% of costs

Give doctors the tools

they need at site of care

Give patients information they need

At home, at work, and at site of care

Invest heavily in electronic health records

Expand but retreat when necessary

Acknowledge what works for you

Here and esewhere

May not work everywhere

Innovate constantly

Organize other innovators

Learn from them

And them from you

Operate as a caregiver team

Treat all with equal respect

You're  in this together

Broadcast your accomplishments

Admit and analyze your failures

Do better next time

Minimize the information gap

Between caregivers and patients

And sooner or latter

An outsider will recognize

Where you’ve been

And where you’re going

And what it all means

He will write an article

In a national newspaper

He will title it,

“The Face of Future Health Care”

(New York Times, March 20, 2013)

The article will quote your organization’s

Chief information officer, Philip Fasano

He  will say,

“We have all the pieces,

Anything a patient needs,

You get in the four walls of our offices”

The article will also quote,

George Halvorson,  CEO of  Kaiser Permanente,

He will sum it up simply,

“All of this adds up to better care and cheaper care.’

The future of health care

Sounds simple,

In retrospect.