Comments on: The best way for hospitals to improve themselves http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/01/best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Fritz Hofheinz, M.D., Best Doctorshttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/01/best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve.html#comment-89477 Fritz Hofheinz, M.D., Best Doctors Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:41:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/01/the-best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve-themselves.html#comment-89477 Kevin is right on with this one… Hospitals have gotten smart - they know amenities sell. Patients generally can't discern differences in medical quality and the clinical quality indicators available today do nothing to help identify where you would want to send a family member. Most patients presume a hospital that has nice facilities inevitably provides better care (and in some ways that is likely correct). Big academic institutions with diversified revenue streams (Research, Clinical and Endowment) can afford to invest in facilities and they are the ones providing generally better care.<br/><br/>A great example of the new "High Amenity" care is at http://www.brighamandwomens.org/shapirocenter/Pavilion/default.aspx Kevin is right on with this one… Hospitals have gotten smart – they know amenities sell. Patients generally can’t discern differences in medical quality and the clinical quality indicators available today do nothing to help identify where you would want to send a family member. Most patients presume a hospital that has nice facilities inevitably provides better care (and in some ways that is likely correct). Big academic institutions with diversified revenue streams (Research, Clinical and Endowment) can afford to invest in facilities and they are the ones providing generally better care.

A great example of the new “High Amenity” care is at http://www.brighamandwomens.org/shapirocenter/Pavilion/default.aspx

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/01/best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve.html#comment-89431 Anonymous Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:25:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/01/the-best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve-themselves.html#comment-89431 And yet the medical community howls in protest when anyone tries to measure quality and reimburse accordingly.<br/><br/>If you want to incentivize better practices/outcomes rather than fancy drapes, you need to measure those things and pay for quality while letting patients pay for shiny flat panel tv's. And yet the medical community howls in protest when anyone tries to measure quality and reimburse accordingly.

If you want to incentivize better practices/outcomes rather than fancy drapes, you need to measure those things and pay for quality while letting patients pay for shiny flat panel tv’s.

]]> By: Michael Rack, MDhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/01/best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve.html#comment-89425 Michael Rack, MD Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:45:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/01/the-best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve-themselves.html#comment-89425 This is similar to colleges adding climbing walls and espresso cafes in the dorms, while tuition (much of it subsidized by government-guaranteed loans) steadily increases. This is similar to colleges adding climbing walls and espresso cafes in the dorms, while tuition (much of it subsidized by government-guaranteed loans) steadily increases.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/01/best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve.html#comment-89423 Anonymous Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:48:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/01/the-best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve-themselves.html#comment-89423 press ganey rules all. press ganey rules all.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/01/best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve.html#comment-89419 Anonymous Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:24:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/01/the-best-way-for-hospitals-to-improve-themselves.html#comment-89419 Baloney. This was the first stuff to go when our hospital had to tighten its belt this fall.<br/><br/>On the other hand, prior to the recession, adding unnecessary but customer friendly frills has been a logical response by hospitals to the screwed up incentives of third party and government payer medicine. Patients assume most places have good care and don't care about the total cost, just their out of pocket cost, so they choose the "nicer" facility. <br/><br/>For the hospitals, this is a way to attract patients whose insurance pays the bills and make up for their losses due to Medicaid and uninsured patients. <br/><br/>If patients had to pay these extra costs themselves, the problem would go away immediately. Baloney. This was the first stuff to go when our hospital had to tighten its belt this fall.

On the other hand, prior to the recession, adding unnecessary but customer friendly frills has been a logical response by hospitals to the screwed up incentives of third party and government payer medicine. Patients assume most places have good care and don’t care about the total cost, just their out of pocket cost, so they choose the “nicer” facility.

For the hospitals, this is a way to attract patients whose insurance pays the bills and make up for their losses due to Medicaid and uninsured patients.

If patients had to pay these extra costs themselves, the problem would go away immediately.

]]>