Comments on: Readers Write 6/1/09 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/01/readers-write-6109/ Healthcare IT News and Opinion Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:21:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: HISBIZ http://histalk2.com/2009/06/01/readers-write-6109/comment-page-1/#comment-4411 HISBIZ Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:39:56 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/01/readers-write-6109/#comment-4411 Re: Quality and Pricing Transparency in Healthcare By Colin Konschak Yes, the demand for Pricing Transparency will continue to grow. However, before this is of any great value to the consumer, we need to first have “Cost” Transparency. The industry has no idea what it costs to perform a procedure. It is time we understand this so that we can begin to have some legitimate connection between cost, price and reimbursement. I recently saw a software product from an Israeli company called ExactCost that does an amazing job of identifying the “Exact Cost”. How in the world do we expect to take cost out of healthcare without understanding what it cost first. Then we can address reimbursement and pricing. Re: Quality and Pricing Transparency in Healthcare
By Colin Konschak

Yes, the demand for Pricing Transparency will continue to grow. However, before this is of any great value to the consumer, we need to first have “Cost” Transparency. The industry has no idea what it costs to perform a procedure. It is time we understand this so that we can begin to have some legitimate connection between cost, price and reimbursement. I recently saw a software product from an Israeli company called ExactCost that does an amazing job of identifying the “Exact Cost”. How in the world do we expect to take cost out of healthcare without understanding what it cost first. Then we can address reimbursement and pricing.

]]> By: HL7RN http://histalk2.com/2009/06/01/readers-write-6109/comment-page-1/#comment-4410 HL7RN Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:23:03 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/01/readers-write-6109/#comment-4410 Cowgirl is right on! I saw this article featured by Mr. HIStalk a few days ago and I emailed the link to just about everyone I know. Not only is it a great article about healthcare, it is superb writing. It is a pleasure to read. Everyone should read this and if you are teaching Healthcare Admin for an on-line school be sure to post it in your classroom. I can't see my text because it's hiding behind the "subscribe to updates" box, so I apologize for any typos. Cowgirl is right on! I saw this article featured by Mr. HIStalk a few days ago and I emailed the link to just about everyone I know. Not only is it a great article about healthcare, it is superb writing. It is a pleasure to read. Everyone should read this and if you are teaching Healthcare Admin for an on-line school be sure to post it in your classroom. I can’t see my text because it’s hiding behind the “subscribe to updates” box, so I apologize for any typos.

]]> By: Cowgirl in the Dust http://histalk2.com/2009/06/01/readers-write-6109/comment-page-1/#comment-4409 Cowgirl in the Dust Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:27:08 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/01/readers-write-6109/#comment-4409 Check out this article in last week's issue of The New Yorker -- and leave your biases at the door -- http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/01/090601fa_fact_gawande?yrail. We have serious systemic and cultural issues that legislation won't fix. Check out this article in last week’s issue of The New Yorker — and leave your biases at the door — http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/01/090601fa_fact_gawande?yrail. We have serious systemic and cultural issues that legislation won’t fix.

]]> By: GPARK http://histalk2.com/2009/06/01/readers-write-6109/comment-page-1/#comment-4408 GPARK Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:05:04 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/01/readers-write-6109/#comment-4408 Mark Hochhauser exposes an important consideration related to the HITEHC act. I too am guilty of expecting behavior changes just because information is available. For instance, I have argued that consumers will be healthier patients once their PHR is integrated with provider data. The holes in this logic include a dismal acceptance of PHR’s and a educational gap in the consumer understanding health data. Most people struggle with understanding their EOB’s. Perhaps the 20 billion slated for healthcare isbetter spent on general health education rather than technology which will take decades to assimilate effectively. Mark Hochhauser exposes an important consideration related to the HITEHC act. I too am guilty of expecting behavior changes just because information is available. For instance, I have argued that consumers will be healthier patients once their PHR is integrated with provider data.

The holes in this logic include a dismal acceptance of PHR’s and a educational gap in the consumer understanding health data. Most people struggle with understanding their EOB’s.

Perhaps the 20 billion slated for healthcare isbetter spent on general health education rather than technology which will take decades to assimilate effectively.

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