Physicians Foundation Releases “Blueprint” for Improving U.S. Healthcare System

Although coverage for 30 million Americans represents a significant ambition, a rapidly changing U.S. healthcare system is also causing challenges and concerns. The consolidation of regional hospital systems (including hospital acquisition of physician groups) is narrowing choices for consumers, while at the same time, in most American communities two or fewer health insurers control half or more of the health insurance market.  Forces like these are leaving patients and their physicians marginalized in an increasingly uncompetitive healthcare marketplace.

The Physicians Foundation released a new white paper by Jeff Goldsmith, Ph.D., titled, “A Blueprint for a More Effective, Physician-Directed Health System,” that suggests “redesigns” of the U.S. healthcare system based on core principles, including:

Offer patients multiple choices in relationships /clinical solutions and enable them to receive savings resulting from making high value choices
Consolidate and simplify payment transactions to reduce overhead expenses
Strengthen the patient-physician relationship to focus on patient’s needs and health risks, while paying physicians on a subscription basis for services
Improve teamwork and continuity by making payments on a bundled basis for complete solutions to medical problems, including care planning and recovery

Please click here to access the full report.