Healthcare Quality and Efficiency Report – For those who are interested in real numbers and information about global healthcare issues

A new, “Healthcare Quality and Efficiency Report” has been released. This report contains information for those of you who are interested in real numbers and information about global healthcare issues. This is not a political piece of information but a factual reference guide discussing how healthcare is measured and the financial issues that healthcare is facing. You may want to forward this to your local and national politicians, insurance company, your healthcare providers and/or your local hospitals.

http://www.soa.org/research/health/research-quality-report.aspx

Executive Summary:

Healthcare quality and efficiency play an important role for both the overall economy and healthcare consumers. Affordable healthcare is crucial to the financial stability of many workers and retirees, making quality and efficiency of programs particularly relevant during periods of economic challenges. Moreover, quality and efficiency are likely to occupy a prominent position in any healthcare system reform effort. This is particularly true given the fundamental issues in the United States, such as the decentralized nature of the healthcare system, often poorly-aligned payment structures and the complexity of roles assumed by service providers.

In light of the current overlap of political, economic, and other environmental factors, the healthcare industry is changing rapidly. As a result, the Society of Actuaries Health Section and Solucia Consulting have co-sponsored this research project. This report reviews and inventories the wide range of quality and efficiency measures currently available for hospitals and physicians.