There are "vast differences" in the way local and regional health care markets use information technology, publicly reported performance measurements, and other key initiatives that drive improvements in the care of people with chronic illnesses, according to a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Center for Health Improvement (CHI).
Findings underscore the need to account for community variations in any national attempt to improve health care quality, the study emphasizes.
RWJF and CHI researchers also drew four broad conclusions from their findings:
- There are multiple opportunities for intervention to improve quality at the local level.
- All healthcare is local (or at least regional), and differences among markets shape form the single most important driver of how individuals receive healthcare from their doctors.
- The interplay, relationship and evolution of market attributes deserve further study.
- The public sector has a critical role to play.
