Building a Reformed Health System that Emphasizes Quality

Minnesota and the nation are undertaking a number of exciting efforts that, together, help us move toward a reformed health system that truly emphasizes quality. Our hope at Stratis Health is that these collective efforts signal a shift from health care delivery, measurement, and payment in silos, to more-comprehensive and patient-centered approaches. The shift may be slow and incremental right now, but it gives us a sense of the possibilities and opportunities, both locally and nationally.

Among these efforts we see:

• Momentum, supported by new tools and resources, in responding to a rapidly changing patient population and health care workforce, enabling clinicians and staff to be more culturally aware and competent in serving patients, as well as supporting a more diverse workplace.
• Attention to care planning, including advance directives, such as we’ve never seen before, which provides the opportunity to help physicians and their patients develop a mutual understanding of values, beliefs, and goals to make health care choices that are right for each patient and their family.
• The use of technology such as electronic health records (EHR), accelerated by new Medicare and Medicaid financial incentives for achieving “meaningful use” of an EHR, to ensure safe, high quality, and efficient care delivery.
  

These efforts are highlighted in this issue of Quality Update. Stratis Health is leading the way in these areas, through initiatives such as our new Culture Care Connection Web site, our Minnesota and national rural palliative care projects, our involvement in the Honoring Choices Minnesota program, and our proposal to serve as a federally-designated Health Information Technology regional extension center. We continue to be involved in health reform efforts led by the Minnesota Department of Health, including the state’s new quality measurement program and the Health Care Homes work, as well as policy and program efforts to better engage consumers and to assure rural health needs are understood and addressed in local and national health reform.

In the last issue of Quality Update, I offered four questions that serve as our litmus test with regard to reforming health care:

1. Does an idea or proposal increase access to health care services?
2. Does this idea or proposal reduce disparities in health care?
3. Does this idea or proposal improve health care value?
4. Does this idea or proposal encourage both patients and providers to do the right thing?
   

These questions continue to guide Stratis Health in the midst of ambiguity and change, and will enable us to stay focused on our mission of leading collaboration and innovation in health care quality and safety, and to serve as a trusted expert in facilitating improvement for people and communities, as we help improve and reform health care.

Jennifer P. Lundblad, PhD, MBA

President and CEO, Stratis Health