3 Ways We Can Work Together to Improve Health and Health Care

Don’t let uncertainty stand in your way

Many now worry about the future of health care in the United States — for good reason.  But the greatest risk may be inaction, as those uncertain about the future take a wait and see approach. This is not what our country needs. And this is not what our Institute is doing. Our insights about what it takes to create a better system are just as relevant and important today as they were two months ago. And our students, faculty, technical experts and partners here and around the world are working to put these insights into action.

Now, and for the foreseeable future, we are focused on 3 things that are needed to improve health care and health in the United States.

1. Better information:  Facts matter. Evidence is important. In order to improve our health systems and our health, we need to know much more about the outcomes and costs of interventions (drugs, devices, procedures), the performance of providers and health systems, and the effectiveness of policies.2. New models of careThe need for innovative models of care has never been greater—at the practice, community and national levels. We develop, test and spread new models of care that support better care at lower cost and ensure shared decision-making between patients and clinicians.

3. Better-prepared practitioners and leaders and a better-informed publicEveryone needs a better understanding of why our health care system is failing us and what they can do to make it better. Our educational programs help students, clinicians, and health care leaders develop the skills they need to make a difference.

POSTED 1/11/2017 AT 02:35 PM IN #3 series