The US has, without a doubt, a health care problem. While the care itself is the best in the world, the process of receiving treatment and other health care needs can be a daunting, frustrating and confusing process. And as our country sits on the verge of historic health care reform, our region is the first in the US to conduct extensive research focused on finding what exactly is needed to perfect the system.
The Community Health Foundation of Western and Central New York (CHFWCNY) took part in Reaching For Excellence’s 1 Friday, 4 Futures community conversation initiative along with the John R. Oishei Foundation, who invested $500,000 in the program, the P2 Collaborative of WNY, and UB Regional Institute.
Three officials delivered the news. Ann Monroe, of CHFWCNY; Robert Gioia, President of the Oishei Foundation; and Shelley Hirschberg, of P2 Collaborative.
Over 1,700 people from the eight counties of Western New York took part in 114 meetings aimed at targeting the biggest failures of the local health care industry from the consumer perspective. The two-year process garnered important results, including five important priorities labeled by many participants.
While there were five main issues, the top three were easily the most pertinent and widely agreed upon by the groups.
83% of participants addressed the need for A Human Connection. As priority #1, participants felt that the system basically stripped patients of their humanity, lending to their being dealt with in a mechanical, robotic way. People felt that health care encounters lacked compassion, emotion, attention and empowerment.
73% of participants wanted to Lose The Hassle. In other words, priority #2 means that participants want to see an integration of medical and health information into an electronic system, eliminating or at least minimizing the “filling out tons of forms” problems we all know and hate. It also suggests a hope for a reduction in wait times, and to coordinate health plans across health care providers.
70% of participants want to Understand. Most felt that little was done in the way of education, meaning the provider could do more to help the consumer to understand health information. Communication is key, as they say, and most felt that providers need to better arm their patients with information in obtaining self-care, or when dealing with complex health issues.
65% of participants felt that consumers should Make Healthy Choices. The fact that 40% of premature deaths are linked to
unhealthy lifestyle choices, and could be fixed by access to
preventative health care education, and incentives for undertaking
personal responsibility in mainting health.
65% want to Increase Access to Care. Western New Yorkers want broader access to
care, and believe that health care is a basic human right with no
distinction of race, creed, sex, income or age.
(Ann Monroe, President and CEO of the Community Health Foundation of Western and Central New York addresses the media.)
Armed with that information, P2 Collaborative is preparing to enact Phase II of the process. The results will be presented in Washington DC in October, which will hopefully start efforts to improve health care quality and provide a model for a national reform, which could be enacted by a bill in December, as predicted by Senator Schumer.
“We found that the only way to succeed is to keep the consumer happy,” said Dr. Robert Gioia, representing the Oishei Foundation. “We need to be honest, correct errors, and be a vehicle for improvement.”
The encompassing idea of the two-year study boils down to “A Human Connection”. Expect these five priorities to be implemented in health care in the future. The rest of the country can thank Western New York later.