I’m paying close attention to the development and implementation of Obamacare, and the unanimous acceptance from politicians and media on this side of the pond to the health reform carried out by President Barack Obama, is actually surprising. This morning most of the national press published the disappointing start of the health reform which only convinced 100.000 people in the first month. But I’m not dedicating this post to the computer mistakes, or the leader of the White House, or the costs of implementing a new health model.
Today I want to retrieve an interesting think piece published in “El Pais” titled ‘The other side of health reform’ about the positive effects that this reform carried out by Obama is having on the healthcare sector in the United States, as well as in the development of a new culture of health management between professionals and citizens.
The article quotes Bill Keller (ex director of the New York Times) and his statements about the development of innovative centers called «responsible health organizations» where the results are aligned with the company objectives, therefore motivating the staff. These «responsible health organizations» would be a kind of laboratory for innovation promoted by the «entrepreneurial energy of an emerging company». The article emphasizes the huge investment in information technologies to segment patients and the need to be more proactive in diagnosis and treatment. It also suggests new lines for nursing involvement, the assumption of responsibility by the citizens, and new healthcare strategies to support prevention and healthcare areas. It also underlined the reduction of emergency visits by «15-20 %», which is a basic indicator for costs and healthcare quality. The author mentions other useful effects which are difficult to adapt to our European style of healthcare management.
I consider this article quite interesting and highly recommend that you read it for the following reasons: On one hand, it shows that the need to reform and to improve the health system is not only a Spanish need (in my opinion it is a global need). On the other hand, because I have identified in these lines our own philosophy. For the last 15 years, we have been developing the Alzira Model, a model based on three pillars: PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, CAPITATIVE PAYMENT, and HEALTHCARE INTEGRATION, all of them mentioned in this article. I really believe that we have implemented a laboratory of innovation with tangible results which exceed those mentioned by the author. Reducing hospital emergencies by integrating primary care and hospital care, the commitment to information systems -Alzira Hospital was a pioneer in Spain-, the implementation of a medical history for the citizens, the objective of disease prevention and health promotion with a home-social network-primary care-hospital proactive vision…, all these concepts make me think about the excellent work that all our professionals are doing every day.
Thanks to the partnership between the private sector -more flexible because it offers incentives, involves professionals and incorporates better practices-, and Public Administration, the way to innovation and excellence is more viable.
I’m so pleased that these U.S. organizations are called «responsible health organizations” because this is how the Alzira Model feels. A pioneering model, based on the triangle of success that we have always promoted: advanced clinical management, patient management and investment in information systems. A responsible model, which tries to preserve and to help to the public health system sustainability, by means of implementing systems, methodology and organization from the 21st century.
Good luck with this project to our healthcare colleagues of the United States. From this blog, I would like to invite all of them to get to know the Alzira model, a «responsible health organization” with 15 years experience.
