Letters: Fee-for-service no help for doctors or patients
In "Let's try Pawlenty's 'performance-pay' Medicare plan on other intractable problems" (June 2), Melissa Dribben attempts to link paying doctors for improved quality and efficient care to a series of preposterous analogies. This is counterproductive.
In "Let's try Pawlenty's 'performance-pay' Medicare plan on other intractable problems" (June 2), Melissa Dribben attempts to link paying doctors for improved quality and efficient care to a series of preposterous analogies. This is counterproductive.
The Dartmouth Atlas estimates that 30 percent of all health-care spending (more than $750 billion) does nothing to improve patient care. Imagine if a portion of that money were used for incentives to providers to spend more time with patients, improve care coordination, and free doctors to focus on their patients' path to health.
Horizon Healthcare Innovations is testing this approach by collaborating with leading primary-care doctors and specialists to create payment models based on value, not volume. Doctors receive payments for coordinating care and can receive higher reimbursements by providing patients with preventative or wellness care. Patients need quality care; doctors need a quality payment system. We can achieve both by ending the dysfunctional fee-for-service system.
Richard Popiel
President and Chief Operating Officer
Horizon Healthcare Innovations
Newark