| While Rich Lesser's article How Transparency Can Transform Health Care is much appreciated and offers a valid ray of hope, can we please have 360 degrees of transparency in health care? Not just on provider practices but also on price? Can we have transparency from end to end? Lesser's examples of improving SUV safety and the development of Linux as successful models of transparency that paid attention to his four criteria are appreciated: -Disseminate information relevant to important decisions -Offer a clear and actionable message -Drive change -Create real value This may very well be a launch point for providers in regards to value-based care -- but can we have more? Getting inside of our bodies is a bit more intensive than getting inside of our cars or our computers. As we're offering providers these helpful examples, saying "if these industries succeeded, so can you," I believe we have the right to ask for more. Linux is free and while the information age has reduced the car salesman's "negotiating" edge, don't fool yourself into thinking it is a game you're winning. The dealership always wins that one. | I know, Lesser didn't address price. But that is my point. We all, I believe, want value-based health care, which I translate into "care about me as a human being." Added on to providers having a conversation with one another about outcomes, though, we need providers to have a conversation with us — as consumers — about price, in language we can understand. We need this conversation to take place before we choose health care services, to earn our business, and we need this conversation to take place after our health care services, to retain our business. The HHS has called for everyone to take their challenge and redesign the medical bill. I want to add this on to Lesser’s hope for the International Consortium for Health Outcome Measurement's (ICHOM) Global Health Outcomes Benchmarking (GLOBE) efforts. My staff and I are going to take a stab at designing the medical bill we’d like to see. Why not?! We’re all in this together. I share Lesser’s optimism that we can all mold the health care industry into the service we all want and need it to be. Won’t you join us? |
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