By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    First Aid Training Enhancing Workplace Health and Safety
    September 25, 2023
    Beyond the Clinic: Medical Surveys Are a Roadmap to Passive Income for Doctors
    September 23, 2023
    5 Self-Care Habits to Help You Live an A+ Life
    September 21, 2023
    Keep Employees Safe & Healthy By Reducing Warehouse Injuries
    September 20, 2023
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Medical Tests You May Not Need
    August 9, 2012
    ebola virus
    What the Ebola Outbreak Shows Us About Modern Health Technology
    September 19, 2014
    Digital Health Gets Extended (Television) Coverage
    September 27, 2012
    Latest News
    Job Seekers with Disabilities Should at Health Insurance Benefits
    September 12, 2023
    Reasons That Drug Prices Are Rising to Unsustainable Levels
    September 12, 2023
    How Revenue Lifecycle Management Helps Healthcare Providers to Optimize Business Operations
    September 6, 2023
    The Hidden Benefits of Practice Exams for Medical Professionals
    September 6, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: New Healthcare Models Stand “Standard of Care” on Its Head
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Aa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Aa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > New Healthcare Models Stand “Standard of Care” on Its Head
Health ReformMedical EthicsPolicy & LawPublic Health

New Healthcare Models Stand “Standard of Care” on Its Head

Caroline Popper
Last updated: 2012/12/19 at 9:00 AM
Caroline Popper
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

As I watch the power in healthcare shift away from physicians/providers toward consumers/patients (enabled by the wide access to information and driven in part by higher co-pays), I can’t help but to observe the affects of the Affordable Care Act on both this new power and the bedrock concept of healthcare delivery—“standards of care”.

As I watch the power in healthcare shift away from physicians/providers toward consumers/patients (enabled by the wide access to information and driven in part by higher co-pays), I can’t help but to observe the affects of the Affordable Care Act on both this new power and the bedrock concept of healthcare delivery—“standards of care”.

Rob Lamberts, a physician who switched his practice from fee-for-service to “direct care” (in which patients buy in as a member instead of paying for each procedure and visit, and receive a basic set of services), has compared the changes in healthcare delivery to the upheaval caused by digital cameras. Just as the move from film to digital imagery brought photography closer to the consumer, mobile apps and web-accessible information will move healthcare delivery closer to customers (a.k.a., patients). Film companies like Kodak failed to recognize the disruptive innovations wrought by digital photography; could consumer power provide the same disruptive innovation to healthcare? As healthcare industry expenses approach 18% of GDP, the unsustainable weight of healthcare costs practically beg for such a disruption.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), as well as other regulations and pending legislation, is addressing healthcare delivery standards and relating those standards to costs. The ACA will require health plans to be delivered at four levels of coverage: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Bronze plans will require the highest copayments, and platinum the lowest. All, however, will have to cover basic benefits such as ambulatory services, emergency care, hospitalization, maternity/newborn care, mental health, prescription drugs, rehabilitation, laboratory services, prevention and wellness, and chronic disease management. At the same time, high-end concierge services—the so called “Cadillac health insurance”—will be subject to a 40% tax.

More Read

trust ligitation end of life

Understanding Trust Litigation When Dealing with Health Issues

The Journey to Healing: Navigating the Aftermath of Wrongful Death Claims 
Navigating Immigrant Police Encounters When Getting Healthcare
How Personal Injury Law Supports Your Wellbeing
7 Tips for Improving Reproducibility and Efficiency in the Lab

The sheer size of the plans under the ACA will require more standardization of insurance coverage, and new and potentially different concepts of “standards of care.” I believe we will see the basic package become the core “standard” with more costly but more generous premium services layered on top. And we will see a rapid shift from fee-for-service to global payments for various levels of service intensity.

But can you also have too much health care? Standards of care, developed by professional organizations, have traditionally answered this question. With these new levels of care, standards are no longer decided exclusively by physicians and specialists’ organizations; they’re increasingly influenced by patient choices. So the concept of guideline-driven medicine may no longer be in the eye of the physician but in the eye of the policy-holder.

Is the U.S. consumer ready for so much service choice? Where does the responsibility for consumer education fall? What mechanisms should we put in place to measure quality and reward efficient providers? Let us know what you think.

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Caroline Popper December 19, 2012
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article Singing the Blues: Stress, Depression and Risk for Stroke
Next Article Social Media Health: 3 Key Elements to Use When Engaging in Social Media

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

workplace first aid training
First Aid Training Enhancing Workplace Health and Safety
Health September 25, 2023
Anxiety Disorder
The Importance of Nutrition in Anxiety Disorder Treatment
Anxiety September 24, 2023
spinal health
How to Advocate For Your Spinal Health In A Healthcare Setting: Strategies From Dr. Brandon Claflin
News September 24, 2023
Medical Surveys
Beyond the Clinic: Medical Surveys Are a Roadmap to Passive Income for Doctors
Health September 23, 2023

You Might also Like

health insurance disability
Policy & Law

Job Seekers with Disabilities Should at Health Insurance Benefits

September 12, 2023
rising drug costs
Pharmaceuticals

Reasons That Drug Prices Are Rising to Unsustainable Levels

September 8, 2023
healthcare providers
Hospital Administration

How Revenue Lifecycle Management Helps Healthcare Providers to Optimize Business Operations

September 6, 2023
Medical Professionals exams
Medicare

The Hidden Benefits of Practice Exams for Medical Professionals

September 6, 2023
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US
© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?