Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on...

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 506 pages
• Published by: Harvard Business School Press
• Edition: 1st Edition May 25, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1591397782
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1591397786
• Book Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 2 inches
• Weighs: 2 pounds

Economist.com
"a profound and powerful critique of Americas health-care system. It deserves to be read widely. And probably will be."

Product Description
The U.S. health care system is in crisis. At stake are the quality of care for millions of Americans and the financial well-being of individuals and employers squeezed by skyrocketing costs--not to mention the stability of state and federal government budgets.

In Redefining Health Care, internationally renowned strategy expert Michael E. Porter and innovation expert Elizabeth Olmsted Teisberg reveal the underlying and largely overlooked causes of the problem and provide a powerful prescription for change. The authors argue that participants in the health care system have competed to shift costs, accumulate bargaining power, and restrict services rather than create value for patients. This zero-sum competition takes place at the wrong level--among health plans, networks, and hospitals--rather than where it matters most: in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of specific health conditions.

In spite of competition among these systems, the patient care cycle is poorly coordinated. The fractured system undermines both efficiency and quality of outcomes.

Redefining Health Care lays out a breakthrough framework for redefining health care competition based on patient value over the full cycle of care—from prevention and diagnosis through recovery or long-term disease management. With specific recommendations for hospitals, doctors, health plans, employers, and policy makers, this book shows how to move to value-based competition on results that will unleash stunning improvements in quality and efficiency.

Reader Reviews
The world's leading guru of competitive strategy, Michael Porter, Ph.D., has turned his sights on explaining the fundamental cause of high costs, poor quality, consumer dissatisfaction, uneven access, and skyrocketing premiums in American health care. In Redefining Health Care, Dr. Porter and business innovation specialist Elizabeth Teisberg, Ph.D. provide a thoughtful, groundbreaking framework to use genuine, value-driven competition to drive dramatic increases in quality and cost effectiveness. Unlike many wonks who foolishly believe that health care is not a market, Drs. Porter and Teisberg see competition "of a sort" at work - namely, zero-sum competition that adds little value, fosters inefficiency and poor quality, and often harms patients. Why? Because the current competitive environment is dysfunctional; serves to "shift costs, accumulate bargaining power, and restrict services;" and is ultimately misplaced - focusing on the business dynamics of providers and health plans, rather than on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illness. Focusing on how to move American health care to positive-sum competition based on economic and clinical value for patients, Redefining Health Care provides a series of specific recommendations for the key players - notably, providers, health plans, employers, and Medicare / Medicaid policy makers. Drs. Porter and Teisberg challenge assumptions, think out of the box, expose the roots of health system failure, and, most importantly, provide a practical agenda for change. Redefining Health Care is an excellent piece of work, with fresh and fascinating insights. Comment | | (Report this)