Study finds doctors must make great effort to provide patients more useful information to help them make medical choices
Patients faced with a choice of surgical options want to engage their physicians and take a more active role in decision-making, according to a study (abstract 567) released at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2015. Further, those physicians must provide better support tools to help patients participate in the decision-making process. The study found that patients consult multiple sources (Internet, family, friends, doctors, etc.) and say that while doctors provide the most believable information, it was also the least helpful.
White House has announced its anticipated “Precision Medicine Initiative,” which it describes as an “emerging field of medicine that takes into account individual differences in people’s genes, microbiomes, environments, and lifestyles – making possible more effective, targeted treatments for diseases like cancer and diabetes. ”
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The practice of medicine has always been personal regarding the treatment of individual patients, but science has fostered a new era of so-called personalized medicine that takes into account each person’s specific clinical, genetic, genomic and environmental information in designing tailored treatment plans
This interview with the director of the program in personalized health at the University of Utah offers a good explanation of what personalized care is and examples of what it could do.
For Science magazine, Jocelyn Kaiser writes that the Obama precision medicine plan would create huge U.S. genetic biobank. She follows up with more details about the price tag and budget.
This interview with the director of the program in personalized health at the University of Utah offers a good explanation of what personalized care is and examples of what it could do.
For Science magazine, Jocelyn Kaiser writes that the Obama precision medicine plan would create huge U.S. genetic biobank. She follows up with more details about the price tag and budget.
“I have been thinking lately about the cultural and business phenomena that are currently shaping and accelerating the adoption of connected health and, in that context, came up with five accelerants. The best part of the story is that four of the five are already going on and we can see their early-stage effects.
So, at the risk of ‘dumbing down’ adoption, here is my list of five accelerants. If we could make these go faster, the adoption of connected health would accelerate too.”
1. Increase value-based reimbursement for providers.
2. Create more mechanisms for provider reimbursement for non face-to-face care (like the new CMS CPT code that just took effect).
3. Accelerate consumer choice in the marketplace as well as ‘consumer-driven health care’ (i.e., high deductible plans, health savings accounts (HSAs), etc.).
4. Make the consumer-facing technology truly frictionless.
5. Create a universal privacy/security technology and make it a public good.
From the 24 November 2014 Robert Woods Foundation report
Recent years have brought numerous efforts to educate and engage Americans in what “quality” health care is, how to find it and how they can get better value for their dollars. To better understand the latest trends, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Chicago to conduct three surveys through the summer and fall of 2014.
The surveys each individually examined how consumers and employers, as purchasers, perceive health care quality and how they use quality information and performance data on health plans and providers. Learn more about the research and access links to the full reports with accompanying materials.
A number of initiatives in recent years have aimed at engaging consumers in making informed health care decisions, including empowering patients and their caregivers with data on provider quality, performance, cost and value. The first in the series of surveys looks at the inroads these efforts have made.
Thirty-seven percent of respondents don’t believe that higher health care costs correlate with better quality care—but 48 percent think they do. The poll also found that more than two-thirds say finding a doctor or hospital that offers the highest quality at the lowest possible cost is important to them. The survey also showed getting Americans to find quality information and use it in their health care decisions remains a challenge, with only 11 percent of Americans reporting they have done so.
As more provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are implemented over the next decade, the government projects that approximately 12 million additional people younger than 65 will enter the private insurance market. The second in the series of surveys looks at consumer opinions on health care costs and coverage, and how it impacts their decision-making.
It shows that nearly a fifth of insured Americans report skipping a trip to the doctor when they’re sick or injured to save money, and only 36 percent are confident they can pay for a major, unexpected medical expense. Those enrolled in health plans with high deductibles are greatly impacted by the out-of-pocket cost of health care—they are concerned with the uncertainty of major expenses, skip necessary medical treatment, and experience real financial burden when obtaining health care.
As a group, employers represent the largest purchaser of care in the United States. Given this, it is critical that they demand good value for the money they spend, ensuring that the plans offered to employees be high quality. The third and final report in the series of surveys looks at the opinions of private sector employers, including small-, medium- and large-sized businesses.
It shows that American firms are hesitant to say they would pay more for higher quality care, and when it comes to measuring quality, 90 percent don’t know or don’t use independent quality information when deciding on what plans to offer employees. And while many employers are indeed providing wellness programs to benefit their employees’ health, relatively few are actively promoting those programs or offering incentives for participation.
This blog presents a sampling of health and medical news and resources for all. Selected articles and resources will hopefully be of general interest but will also encourage further reading through posted references and other links. Currently I am focusing on public health, basic and applied research and very broadly on disease and healthy lifestyle topics.
Several times a month I will post items on international and global health issues. My Peace Corps Liberia experience (1980-81) has formed me as a global citizen in many ways and has challenged me to think of health and other topics in a more holistic manner.
Do you have an informational question in the health/medical area? Email me at jmflahiff@yahoo.com I will reply within 48 hours.
My professional work experience and education includes over 15 years experience as a medical librarian and a Master’s in Library Science. In my most recent position I enjoyed contributing to our library’s blog, performing in depth literature searches, and collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and the general public.
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