As I watch the aftermath of post-tropical cyclone Sandy unfold on the internet, I am grateful for my health and safety, and I am relieved that all of my family members and friends are now safe and sound (after a rescue in NJ!). This post will be centered on changes in healthcare that are occurring over time, yet change in this regard is unthinkable. I'm sending prayers and thoughts to those in areas that experienced a direct hit from Sandy and subsequent destruction. I cannot even imagine what it must be like to be thrust into this state of uncertainty and experience such devastating conditions.
Sandy changed millions of people's lives forever in a matter of hours over these past few days. All of us around the globe have spent these days thinking about those in the path of the superstorm, praying, and hoping for our loved ones to stay safe and for the storm to subside. Clean-up and recovery will take many months and too many resources to list. Yet, based on the response to previous hurricanes and natural disasters, I hope that with coordination of aid and teamwork, the states affected will be able to adapt and overcome the multitude of challenges Sandy has left in her wake.
Change in Health Care
Most of us have an aversion to change. But what do we do if we do not have a choice? Health care organizations have reached that pivotal point: the point where they must adopt health care reform and change the way care is delivered. The status quo is not sufficient any longer. The cost is too great.
Health care organizations have been faced with change for years now. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed by President Obama in 2010 and with this new law, many improvements have been made to increase access to care and lowering cost for consumers. A great resource for information about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is: http://www.healthcare.gov/index.html.
Health care delivery is changing from caring for the ill to keeping the populations well. It is changing from fee-for-service to value-based care delivery, and the system is being turned around. Primary care is used as the driver of this change. Two models used to facilitate this change are the patient-centered medical home model and accountable care organization model. The medical home model involves teams of providers coordinating care between primary care providers, specialists, and behavioral medicine. Accountable care organizations are systems that are assigned vulnerable populations (ex: Medicare beneficiaries) for which they are responsible for providing cost-efficient, quality care.
In addition, changing the health care system in the United States to one that supports healthier communities that are centered on wellness is now a priority. This is a highly complex challenge and will not be solved overnight. Grassroots efforts to make sustainable change that addresses social determinants of health are extremely important. Social determinants of health are defined by the World Health Organization as.. "the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, including the health system. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources."
(source: http://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/)
A resource for information about social determinants of health and health inequity in the United States is the documentary series "Unnatural Causes." The first episode, "In Sickness and In Wealth" dictates the consequences poverty can have on your health. You can find information here: http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/episode_descriptions.php
Social determinants of health cause significant health inequities within the United States and throughout the world. Making improvements in public education, access to healthy foods, and recreation opportunities for communities is vital work. I am excited to see where the Alliance for Community Transformations can go this year. It is inspiring to see a group of dedicated people come together to improve the health of their community.
Look for a post coming soon on a presentation by Dr. Gregg Meyer, Executive Vice President of Population Health for Dartmouth-Hitchcock from earlier in the month. This post will also contain information from a Massachusetts Hospital Association/New England Society for Healthcare Communications conference I attended last Friday, "Influencing Population Health: Making the Case for Wellness & Prevention."
Change is here, accountable care is the future of healthcare, and making changes that address social determinants of health and building communities centered on wellness are ways we will get there. I'll leave you with this thought:
"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly slight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad." - C.S. Lewis
For more information about the Alliance for Community Transformations:
http://www.facebook.com/actsvhc
For more information about the SerVermont:
For more information about Southwestern Vermont Medical Center:
For more information about AmeriCorps VISTA:
http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/choose/vista.asp
 |
| The view from the new office I share with Nicole at SVMC! |
No comments:
Post a Comment