Quit Wasting My Healthcare

Overutilization Again Identified as Cause of High Healthcare Costs

The recent article in the New Yorker entitled “The Cost Conundrum–What a Texas town can teach us about health care” is very good:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/01/090601fa_fact_gawande?currentPage=1

Atul Gawande has laid out the underlying cause of high healthcare costs: Overutilization.

In my opinion, he has hit the nail on the head.

I want to make as few comments as possible so that the article can stand on its own, but I can say that addressing overutilization at the patient-physician relationship level is the best way to improve quality and decrease cost at the same time.

Physicians respond best to their patients. Having the government, insurance companies or large employers dictate practice patterns and treatment recommendations will generate tremendous push-back from physicians. No matter how well “proven” or well intentioned those recommendations, the shear fact of who they are coming from will discredit them by physicians. One can say that is not right, but in practice, physicians respond best to their patients.

As founder of a patient-advocacy and price-transparency firm, I am biased toward empowering patients with the necessary cost and quality information along with a patient-advocate to assist them as the model for healthcare reform. I think it is the best way to help people be better “stewards” of their health and of healthcare resources–improving their health and doing so in a sustainable fashion for the nation as a whole.