Continuously learning healthcare systems — those that use experience and research to constantly improve care — share seven characteristics, according to a report by the Institute of Medicine Committee on the Learning Health Care System in America.
The report, "Best Care at Lower Cost: The Path to Continuously Learning Health Care in America," explains how today's healthcare environment requires healthcare systems to continuously learn to manage cost and quality pressure.
Here are seven characteristics of continuously learning healthcare systems the IOM committee identified:
2. Digital capture of the care experience. The system captures the care experience on digital platforms for real-time generation and application of knowledge for care improvement.
5. Full transparency. The system systematically monitors the safety, quality, processes, prices, costs and outcomes of care, and makes information available for care improvement and informed choices and decision-making by clinicians, patients and their families.
7. Supportive system competencies. The system constantly refines complex care operations and processes through ongoing team training and skill building; systems analysis and information development; and creation of the feedback loops for continuous learning and system improvement.
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The report, "Best Care at Lower Cost: The Path to Continuously Learning Health Care in America," explains how today's healthcare environment requires healthcare systems to continuously learn to manage cost and quality pressure.
Here are seven characteristics of continuously learning healthcare systems the IOM committee identified:
Science and informatics
1. Real-time access to knowledge. The system continuously and reliably captures, curates and delivers the best available evidence to guide and improve clinical decision-making and healthcare safety and quality.2. Digital capture of the care experience. The system captures the care experience on digital platforms for real-time generation and application of knowledge for care improvement.
Patient-clinician relationships
3. Engaged, empowered patients. The system focuses on patient needs and perspectives and promotes the inclusion of patients, families and other caregivers as vital members of the continuously learning care team.Incentives
4. Incentives aligned for value. The system actively aligns incentives to encourage continuous improvement, identify and reduce waste and reward high-value care.5. Full transparency. The system systematically monitors the safety, quality, processes, prices, costs and outcomes of care, and makes information available for care improvement and informed choices and decision-making by clinicians, patients and their families.
Culture
6. Leadership-instilled culture of learning. The system has leadership committed to a culture of teamwork, collaboration and adaptability in support of continuous learning as a core aim.7. Supportive system competencies. The system constantly refines complex care operations and processes through ongoing team training and skill building; systems analysis and information development; and creation of the feedback loops for continuous learning and system improvement.
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