In its first report, released in August 2006, the Commission traced the critical sources of health system failures and outlined a vision of a uniquely American, high performance system.
(1) The Commission has identified concrete steps to make health care more effective, efficient, and equitable:
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Extend health insurance to all. |
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Pursue excellence in the provision of safe, effective, and efficient care. |
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Organize the care system to ensure coordinated and accessible care for all. |
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Increase transparency and reward quality and efficiency. |
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Expand the use of information technology and exchange. |
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Develop the workforce to foster patient-centered and primary care.. |
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Encourage leadership and collaboration among public and private stakeholders. |
Members of the Commission agree that such reforms will require the establishment of coordinated systems to enable health care providers to provide appropriate, high-quality health services for a range of acute and chronic care needs. At the same time, the Commission believes that providers must be held accountable for meeting benchmarks for effectiveness, safety, and efficiency.
Survey findings reveal that the Commission's
priorities are in sync with public opinion. In the report,
Public
Views on Shaping the Future of the U.S. Health Care System,
Fund senior vice president Cathy Schoen and colleagues describe
strong public support for efforts to improve care coordination,
expand the use of information technology, and adopt a team approach
to care delivery.
(2)
Survey respondents told of instances where they received duplicative
or otherwise wasteful
services,
or had difficulty paying for insurance coverage or care—problems
encountered not only by low-income families, but by middle-income
ones as well.
Three-quarters of the adults agree that the health system needs either fundamental change or complete rebuilding. Topping the list of priorities for federal action are expanding health coverage and controlling costs. Other favored reforms include ensuring that everyone has a "medical home"—a regular primary care provider who is responsible for coordinating all of a patient's care—as well as a personal health record, accessible to the patient and all of his or her health care providers, that contains all pertinent medical information.
