A complex, disjointed health care system results in costly waste and duplication of services, making it difficult to navigate and often resulting in poor health outcomes. Trust grant strategies include: |
Though it seems contradictory, Americans still widely believe that they receive the best health care in the world, even as they express dissatisfaction with the affordability, safety and equity of health care delivery and financing in the United States. Indeed, even as U.S. medical technology is second to none, Americans' medical bills are higher and patient outcomes are poorer compared to other developed countries. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), quality health care is that which is safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and "patient-centered," meaning that all people have equal access to cost-effective care that is based on research, responsive to their individual needs, preferences and cultures, and that patients are engaged as partners in care decisions. According to a recent Commonwealth Fund state scorecard on health system performance, Colorado performs less well than most states on quality (30th), access (35th) and equity (43rd) indicators. In Colorado, as nationally, quality of care is often inconsistent. Quality "report cards" issued by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Colorado Business Group on Health indicate that while pockets of consistently high quality services exist (e.g., care after heart attack), care is variable at best. Similarly, data reveal consistently poor performance in certain maternal and child health indicators and nursing home care. According to the IOM, many of these indicators show that quality of care is often lower for communities of color due to cultural andl inguistic barriers and provider bias. The current health care system consists of many different components (e.g., hospitals, primary care physicians, specialists, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, long-term care) that largely function independently with little coordination. Such an environment makes it difficult for providers to communicate and share important health information, and increases the chance for medical errors, waste and duplication of services and procedures. For patients, this disjointed system can be confusing, nearly impossible to navigate and often fails to produce positive health outcomes. Patients with limited English language proficiency are at a particular disadvantage. |
»EXAMPLES OF QUALITY INDICATORS THAT COLORADO NEEDS TO IMPROVE UPONThe shortage of primary care providers compromises the ability of Coloradans to receive timely care, especially low-income and rural families. This factor may contribute to statewide first-trimester prenatal care rates that are below both the federal government's Healthy People 2010 standards and the national average. However, even when one gains access to care, many Coloradans do not receive the "right" care. For instance, quality indicators suggest that fewer than half of adults are getting recommended preventive health care services. According to the Colorado Business Group on Health, care may not be as safe and efficient as it could be because not all hospitals have adopted computerized medical record systems that help prevent medication errors. Finally, some Coloradans struggle to find care that is culturally appropriate. For example, some clinical sites that accept low-income patients lack translators for patients who need them and others have long waiting times. Access and quality barriers combine with social factors to produce pronounced differences in health outcomes across income, race, ethnicity and insurance groups in Colorado. |
|
An integrated model for clinical care is one where physicians are supported to practice care collaboratively within and across care settings. Transitioning to a more integrated system may require financial incentives and cultural changes to facilitate teamwork among providers and patients, reorganization of staff and adoption of health information technology (HIT) to enhance information sharing, reduce costs and improve quality care and patient satisfaction. |
  |