Herbert Pardes, MD, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Peter Fine, President and CEO of Banner Health and Nick Turkal, MD President and CEO of Aurora Health Care, penned an op-ed in The Hill arguing that deep cuts to federal healthcare programs will negatively impact patients.
"Political leaders need to understand that it is wrong to claim, as some have done, that deep, unidentified cuts will not impact patients," the authors state. They argue committing to large cuts before determining exactly what programs would be effective and urge cost savings to be explored "with the same scientific rigor and respect for patients that has brought us advances in medicine to improve our lives."
The authors recommend a number of areas where savings could be identified without negatively impacting patient care, including:
• Using one format for insurance claims data, which would be agreed upon by all payors. The authors state such a move could save "billions."
• Limiting malpractice liability, which could reduce unnecessary tests and insurance premiums.
• Placing a greater emphasis on preventative care.
• Improving care coordination between ambulatory and inpatient settings.
• Expanding the use of health information technology.
The authors close the article by saying, "The difficult balance we must strike is to hold down what we spend on health care without adversely affecting our patients. What may look good on a balance sheet can appear very different on an examination table."
Looking Back to Move Ahead: Leading Hospitals Through Fast-Paced Change
"Political leaders need to understand that it is wrong to claim, as some have done, that deep, unidentified cuts will not impact patients," the authors state. They argue committing to large cuts before determining exactly what programs would be effective and urge cost savings to be explored "with the same scientific rigor and respect for patients that has brought us advances in medicine to improve our lives."
The authors recommend a number of areas where savings could be identified without negatively impacting patient care, including:
• Using one format for insurance claims data, which would be agreed upon by all payors. The authors state such a move could save "billions."
• Limiting malpractice liability, which could reduce unnecessary tests and insurance premiums.
• Placing a greater emphasis on preventative care.
• Improving care coordination between ambulatory and inpatient settings.
• Expanding the use of health information technology.
The authors close the article by saying, "The difficult balance we must strike is to hold down what we spend on health care without adversely affecting our patients. What may look good on a balance sheet can appear very different on an examination table."
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