AAPCMONTHLY

A VOICE IN
HEALTHCARE
REFORM
Daniel B.
McLaughlin

HEALTHCARE REFORM:
CHANGE BEYOND
POLITICAL MINDSET
By Sean King

Merrill Goozner
There are enormous
political and technical
hurdles to achieving any
of those reforms. Yet
theyor something else
equally boldwill never
happen unless someone
starts talking about
them.

Loehrer, Feeley,
and Berwick
The 10 simple rules in the
Crossing the Quality Chasm
report called on clinicians
and organizations to think
differently about the way
they delivered care against
the backdrop of high rates
of medical harm

Sean is an established Pediatric Nurse with 6 years

of healthcare industry experience. He is current
Director of Client Development for Phyzit TCM, a
software company that designs applications to help
track CMS incentive in the form of Transitional Care
Management.

Changes to political conscious and healthcare culture could promote

further healthcare reform. Of course there are major obstacles to
cross in regards to political and healthcare culture as well. Healthcare
should not be governed by political motivations in either arena.
There are major technical hurdles to overcome before healthcare
reform can become an established necessity within major health
systems. It somehow missed the PC revolution and now we are
seeing companies play catch up to rid themselves of those pesky
paper trails they have created. However, the culture related to health
professionals is extremely resistant to change. This must take on
reform so there is a positive reaction to reform outside of President
Obama's current version of the Healthcare Reform Act.
Aside from the technical mountain to climb, healthcare reform is
dominated by the political agenda of those elected to office. If it isn't
a major political season, such as the current race for candidates for
the 2016 Presidential Election, then healthcare reform tends to take a
backseat. These elected officials are basing decisions on political
party personal agenda as opposed to what is just and right for the
people of the United States of America. Political officials are obligated
to pursue a better life for those they were elected to represent.
By federalizing Medicaid, some of the 138% of Medicare earnings
could shift earnings towards the pay-out and healthcare expenses of
Medicaid users. This could massively effect healthcare structure since
these government agencies set the rules and guidelines for pay-out
methods. Many government agencies such as MACPAC, MedPAC, and
the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Initiative have been created
to help manage these CMS systems already in place.
To find your local Senators and Congressmen, go to
www.usa.gov/elected-officials

25
SEPTEMEBER 2016 | ISSUE 05

If healthcare reform
is a journey and not
a destination, what
can we look for in
the future?