Many communities that deliver high-quality health care are still a long way from achieving the kind of excellence in treatment that should be expected from healthcare providers, a new report from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions study has concluded.
The report, Pay for Quality: A Strategic Perspective, focuses on health care in Topeka, Kan., where most public report cards rate hospital and physician performance as being of good quality. Topeka was selected as the research focus because it is a typical mid-sized American community whose residents generally receive acceptable care. But bridging the gap between good and great medical care would not only mean better overall treatment for residents but also could mean the saving of 152 lives a year.
The path from good to excellent care may be short, but a commitment to excellence includes improving care coordination and a greater reliance on evidence-based practices, according to the report. Performance-based payments and transparency are essential, but they depend on input from all affected stakeholders. Download the report.
