Policy Leaders Receive Front-Line Look at Health Care Transformation

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Health policy advisors seeking to understand how hospitals and health systems are adapting to the changing industry environment heard real-life case studies from The Advisory Board Company and a panel of hospital senior executives on Monday on Capitol Hill.  At the briefing, Advisory Board researchers shared their observation that more than two-thirds of the opportunities for hospitals to improve their financial outlook over the next 10 years come from reducing the growth of inpatient costs and shifting patient care to more appropriate settings.

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These strategies complement the movement by both private and public payers to restructure health care financing around incentives for higher-quality, more efficient care.  Developing a more efficient system is critical for the health care sector given the aging of the U.S. population, the rapid increase in chronic illness, continued deceleration in prices paid by consumers and payers, and the increasing cost of providing health care.

"This transformation of how health systems deliver care is right for patients.  While there is a lot of uncertainty among our member institutions, and the change will be difficult, there also is a lot of enthusiasm because this is an opportunity to align financial incentives with health systems' missions of providing patient-centered care," The Advisory Board Company's Chief Research Officer Chas Roades said during the briefing session, Reports from the Front Lines of Health Care Transformation: Real-World Examples of How the Care Delivery System is Migrating toward Value-Driven Care. 

Monday's briefing was attended by Congressional staff, administration, and thought leaders from the health policy think-tank community. 

The Advisory Board Company, a leading national advisor to health systems, is sponsoring a series of briefings on the practical impact of health care transformation, beginning with Monday's session.  These Reports from the Front Lines sessions are designed to help health policy leaders understand the current state of the U.S. health care system.  They also aim to connect these leaders with Advisory Board members who are succeeding at transforming care in diverse communities throughout the nation.  Insights include how health systems are adapting to the changing environment, as well as examples of what is and is not working in the quest toward higher-quality, more efficient care. 

"We bring more than 30 years of experience as a trusted advisor to America's health systems," said Frederick Isasi, Senior Health Policy Advisor and Managing Director, Government Strategies at The Advisory Board Company.  "We believe that through our unique perspective on the industry we have valuable insights that can elevate policy discussions.  We want to share our observations on the front lines of the U.S. health care delivery system." 

In this first briefing, health policy leaders received a comprehensive overview of the critical challenges facing hospitals and physicians as they move toward value-driven health care.  The briefing also included a panel discussion featuring health system leaders from the Advisory Board membership who achieved measurable results in improving care quality and reducing cost in their communities.  Participants included:

• Mary Ellen Benzik, MD, former Medical Director of Integrated Health Partners in Battle Creek, Mich.;
• Jeffrey DiLisi, MD, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington; and
• Sue Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

"These panelists have terrific stories to tell," said discussion moderator Lisa Bielamowicz, MD, Senior Vice President for Physician Strategy at The Advisory Board Company.  "They provide proof that transformation can really improve the quality of care, make it more patient-centric, and, at the same time, significantly reduce health care costs.  Moreover, these panelists provide new stories of transformation that show that these changes are occurring throughout the country from rural Iowa to a small town in Michigan to suburban Virginia." 

The Advisory Board Company employs more than 1,750 professionals worldwide and gathers authoritative insights from the on-the-ground experience of its network of 150,000 leaders at 3,100 health care institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  All told, The Advisory Board Company sponsors more than 180 national meetings annually for its members in 46 content areas; these draw more than 11,000 attendees. 

The Advisory Board Company's members include the senior leadership of 99 of the 100 largest health care systems in the United States and all 17 of the U.S. News and World Report "honor roll" hospitals.  In addition, the firm's membership includes more than 1,000 small-to-medium-sized community hospitals.  

For more information on The Advisory Board Company's health policy work, please visit our health policy home page, http://www.advisory.com/Health-Policy/About-Health-Policy.

About The Advisory Board Company

The Advisory Board Company is a global technology, research, and consulting firm partnering with organizations across health care and higher education.  Through its innovative membership model, the firm collaborates with executives and their teams to elevate performance and solve their most pressing challenges.  The company provides strategic guidance, actionable insights, web-based software solutions, and comprehensive implementation and management services.  For more information about The Advisory Board Company, visit http://www.advisory.com.

SOURCE The Advisory Board Company