SPECIAL REPORT: David Ameen, executive director, Kaiser Permanente Kern County
| Thursday, May 28 2009 06:29 PM
Last Updated Thursday, May 28 2009 06:29 PM
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David Ameen
Kaiser Permanente believes that all Americans should have access to affordable, high-quality health care coverage.
This coverage should include prevention, services to help manage chronic conditions and protection from catastrophic illness. Universal coverage will improve health outcomes, the efficiency of the system and reduce current health disparities.
To keep coverage affordable and really fix our broken health-care system, we must change the way we deliver and pay for health care. Financial incentives must be changed so that plans compete on quality and efficiency, so that providers are rewarded for quality and keeping their patients healthy rather than for the volume of services delivered, and so that individuals are encouraged to seek high-quality care and to be more actively involved in maintaining their own health.
A reformed health-care delivery system should assure that patients receive the right care at the right time in the right amount. Provider payment reform should promote greater coordination and collaboration of care and the use of decision support tools, such as electronic health records.
Reform should promote improved management of chronic conditions and reward prevention and early detection. In addition, health reform should address the root causes of poor health by promoting public health programs, community health services and workplace efforts to support healthier lifestyles.
As a nation, we need to improve health-care access, reduce costs and ensure quality care for all.
