On a global scale, we’ve managed to solve the riddles of putting a man on the moon, reinventing overseas communication with the touch of a button, and running cars on low-emission, electrically powered sources. Yet when it comes to cracking the healthcare equity code, the industry nonetheless remains stumped for solutions.
The discussion surrounding how to “fix” the current state of healthcare to drive affordability and accessibility across the entire industry remains one of the biggest challenges in modern times – particularly when considering how nearly every industry has successfully evolved outdated, costly business models to achieve sustainable growth.
The age-old question remains: why can’t healthcare manage the same feat?
Yielding to evidence
Based on the scale and complexity of these changes, piecemeal approaches are not going to drive the transformational changes required to deliver better healthcare that is clinically effective and balances the cost –quality equation. Change on this magnitude cannot be achieved overnight. Rather, the industry must gradually – and effectively – shift clinical models to accommodate pathways to care.
Standardization has stolen the spotlight in recent years as an important strategy to reconcile the wide variation in current practices. By eliminating variations in care, we can accelerate significant improvements in care quality, reduce wasted expenditures, and improve patient health outcomes.
Wolters Kluwer Health report, Eyes Wide Open, explores the driving forces that have the most impact on the healthcare industry, in addition to discussing the current strategies that are transforming care. Here are some main takeaways that highlight healthcare providers’ shift to value through the adoption of pioneering programs, technologies, and novel approaches.
Paving a road to optimal clinical performance
1. Key takeaway #1: The current cost trajectory can’t be sustained. More than ever, healthcare organizations are under pressure to decrease the costs of care while improving care delivery, outcomes, and clinical effectiveness in a bid to influence the progression upon the ‘quality versus costs’ riddle.