image: Harrington's book 'Great Health Care - Making It Happen' focuses on improving care for chronic diseases. view more
Credit: Springer
Why does health care need to be redesigned? First – the current system is broken. It costs too much, and too often yields little value for patients and society. Second – it's fixable. The editors and authors of Great Health Care – Making It Happen are convinced of it.
The contributors to the book share their stories, motivations and the methods they have used to transform care for their own patients within their own practices and health systems. They explore how we got into this mess, how we can get out of it, and the barriers to making it happen. Some hale from nationally recognized organizations, and others from community health systems, but all are considered to be "the best of the best" by their colleagues.
Co-editor Timothy Harrington explains, "It is not only the impact of chronic diseases on our health and economy that draws us to this subject. It is the intriguing and rewarding potential for improving the status quo through redesigning how chronic disease care is provided and paid for."
Eric Newman, also co-editor, said, "You can't do things differently until you see things differently. The contributors to the book are highly interested in optimizing delivery of care processes. Many have already created programs like everyone wishes were available across our country."
Great Health Care provides prescriptive advice on how health care can be delivered dependably and at the lowest possible cost. Providing models from health care systems which have successfully implemented these positive changes, the book illustrates efficient practice strategies for the treatment of resource-draining chronic diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, and congestive heart failure. It calls for the kinds of programs that Don Berwick advocated as Medicare and Medicaid Director and that are supported by the Accountable Care Act.
Enlightening and entertaining, Great Health Care is a must read for physicians, patients, health policymakers, administrators and the interested public. Anyone who wants to understand what great health care is, and how it might come about, will benefit from this book.
J.T. Harrington, E.D. Newman (Eds.)
Great Health Care
Making It Happen
2012, XII, 258 p. 53 illus., 40 in color.
Softcover $39.95, €39,95, £35.99
ISBN 978-1-4614-1197-0
The authors are available for interview.