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FORMER WHITE HOUSE HEALTH POLICY ADVISOR SPEAKS IN MADISON
WPR News - Former White House health policy advisor speaks in Madison
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Wednesday April 18, 2012
by Shamane Mills
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(MADISON) A former adviser of health policy for the White House spoke in Madison Tuesday (4/17) night where he talked about improving health quality and cutting costs. Some question whether patient expectations will thwart the effort to control rising health bills.
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel is a medical ethicist and oncologist who advised President Obama on health reform. Speaking in Madison, he says the U.S. spent $2.5 trillion on health care in 2009, much more than any other developed country, "So we have plenty of room to come down without the need for rationing. We are spending way too much on health care."
Nine physicians groups in the U.S. recently came out with a list of 45 procedures or tests that they suggest are unnecessary. One doctor at the Madison forum who supports health reform questioned how to get the public on board with quality improvement and cost cutting measures. Family physician Jeff Huebner noted the U.S. is in an era of 'patient empowerment,' "How do we take this to the next level of public engagement, having these discussions with our patients when they come in asking for the newest test or treatment they've seen on TV?"
Emanuel says studies in shared decision making between doctor and patient show videos or brochures on the pros and cons of a procedure can sometimes prompt patients to change their mind, "It's not going to affect the vast majority of people but 10 to 20 percent not wanting a knee replacement or prostate surgery is a large number."
Emanuel says hospitals are already working to comply with parts of the Affordable Care Act designed to control costs and improve patient care: for example high re-admission rates will results in penalties as will high rates of infections. The constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act is currently being decided by the U.S. Supreme Court
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