More, Better Information Key in Fixing Health Care
Medical Information System Could Take a Page From Customer Service
The U.S. health care system is a mess by any measure. Costs are far higher than anywhere else in the world, but life expectancy and infant mortality rates are worse on average than in other developed countries. To add insult to injury, customer service is often abysmal.
It doesn't have to be this way.
Other sectors of the U.S. service economy -- such as retail, financial services and lodging -- are the envy of the world. Companies like Vanguard, Target and Hampton Inns offer higher-quality services, better customer care and lower prices than you'll find in other countries.
The U.S. health care system could be like that too, but the archaic culture of medical providers, distortion of the market by the third-party payment system, and the resistance to making tough decisions about medical costs and benefits complicate reform.
The best hope for reforming U.S. health care lies in information. We need to generate more and better information, make better use of the information we have, and be willing to apply information to make tough choices.
The good news is that it is starting to happen.
Generating More and Better Information
The kind of information we take for granted in other sectors is unavailable in health care:
How good is your doctor, really?
Which specialist is best for your condition?
Is that academic medical center with the great reputation better than the community hospital down the street?
How likely are you to die from a medical error?
How much does an operation cost at one hospital compared with another?
Does that drug you were prescribed work?
What were the other options for treatment?
How much does the drug really cost (not just the co-pay)?
Is the drug any better than a generic?
How does your genetic makeup affect the treatment you should get?
We're beginning to answer these questions. Consortia like Massachusetts Health Quality Partners and Integrated Healthcare Association, and private companies such as HealthGrades, offer information on quality and patient experience. (They still can't quite say "customer satisfaction.")
