The Commonwealth Fund Connection serves as a roundup of Fund publications, charts, and multimedia added to the Commonwealth Fund Web site in the last two weeks, and also offers links to other timely content.
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What's New
A new 11-country survey from The Commonwealth Fund finds that adults in the United States are far more likely than those in 10 other industrialized nations to go without health care because of costs, have trouble paying medical bills, encounter high medical bills even when insured, and have disputes with their insurers or discover insurance wouldn't pay as they expected. The findings highlight the need for Affordable Care Act reforms that will ensure access to health care, protect people from medical debt, and simplify health insurance.
One-third (33%) of U.S. adults went without recommended care, did not see a doctor when sick, or failed to fill prescriptions because of costs, compared with as few as 5 percent to 6 percent in the Netherlands and the U.K., according to the survey analysis, published today as a Health Affairs Web First article.
"This study highlights pervasive gaps in U.S. health insurance that put families' health and budgets at risk," said Commonwealth Fund senior vice president Cathy Schoen, lead author. "In fact, the U.S. is the only country in the study where having health insurance doesn't guarantee you access to health care or financial protection when you're sick."
An audio file of Cathy Schoen reviewing the survey findings is available on The Commonwealth Fund Web site. And much more information on health system performance around the world can be found in the Fund's International Health Policy Center. Read more »
Recent Releases
Nursing homes engaged in "culture change" to move from hospital-like institutions to resident-centered homes have achieved higher occupancy rates and increased revenue, according to a study supported by The Commonwealth Fund. Over the four-year study period, homes undergoing culture change realized an additional 3 percent in occupancy and over $11 per bed per day in extra revenue, compared with a comparison group of traditional nursing homes. Read more »
In this Commonwealth Fund–supported study, researchers conducted brainstorming sessions with physicians and nurses to identify measures of patient safety for hospital surgery and intensive care units. This process, which can be easily replicated, produced safety measures deemed credible by practitioners on the front lines of care. Read more »
A new Commonwealth Fund–supported report published by the Long Term Community Coalition describes how consumers can become involved in the allocation of nursing home penalties, which are designated by law to be used to improve nursing home residents' care and quality of life. It is based on consumers' experiences in four states—California, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Read more »
New on the Web
A blog post discusses the implications of the new 11-country survey by the Commonwealth Fund focusing on health care access, cost, and insurance coverage. The survey found that adults in the United States are by far the most likely to go without care because of costs, have trouble paying medical bills, encounter high medical bills even when insured, and have disputes with insurers or payments denied. "What we are hearing directly from adults around the world, and what we hear regularly at home, is that there is substantial room for improvement in the U.S. health insurance system," said Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis. "The good news is that there are opportunities to learn from other countries, and Affordable Care Act reforms will provide affordable insurance options for the uninsured, make sure insurance pays for essential care, and provide financial security for millions." Read more »
In a new e-forum with synched audio and slides from an Oct. 29 Alliance for Health Reform/Commonwealth Fund Briefing, David Blumenthal, M.D., national coordinator for health information technology (HIT), and others speak about the rate of adoption of HIT and "meaningful use" standards. Another e-forum, from an Oct. 22 briefing, focuses on implementation of state health insurance exchanges. Read more »
Users of WhyNotTheBest.org can search for and compare data from nearly 1,000 hospitals on the incidence of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs)—one of the most lethal hospital-acquired complications. The updated data show wide variation in CLABSI incidence, despite strong evidence on how to prevent these infections. The data are available on WhyNotTheBest.org through a partnership among The Commonwealth Fund, The Leapfrog Group, and Consumers Union. Click here for information on how to locate hospitals reporting CLABSI data. Read more »
Events
Anthony Shih, M.D., M.P.H., has been appointed executive vice president for programs of The Commonwealth Fund, effective January 12, 2011. Dr. Shih directed the Fund's Program on Quality Improvement and Efficiency from 2006 to 2008. He left The Commonwealth Fund in 2008 to serve as chief quality officer and vice president of strategy for IPRO, one of the nation's leading independent, not-for-profit, health care quality improvement organizations. In addition to guiding the overall strategy and growth of IPRO, he provided expert consultation to government and non-profit clients. His responsibilities at the organization included oversight of the eServices and Health Care Transparency team that develops and maintains the Fund's WhyNotTheBest.org Web site. Read more »
Fellowships
The Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowships in Minority Health Policy are now open to applicants for the 2011–12 fellowship year. This unique fellowship is designed to prepare physicians for leadership roles in formulating and promoting health policies and practices that improve access to high-quality care for minority and other disadvantaged populations. For more information, please visit http://www.mfdp.med.harvard.edu/fellows_faculty/cfhuf/about.html. Read more »