tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post3145788231818689770..comments2024-03-18T04:38:01.678-07:00Comments on Dispatch from the Digital Health Frontier: Healthcare is DifferentJohn Halamkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04550236129132159307noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-59549359549456397202011-08-12T10:18:28.676-07:002011-08-12T10:18:28.676-07:00As a former manufacturing guy who is now in health...As a former manufacturing guy who is now in healthcare, let me maybe reframe #2 a bit. Toyota would never build an assembly line without properly training workers.<br /><br />But, very frequently, healthcare organizations put in new software without putting in the proper time and money investment into training. And then they wonder why people don't use the software properly or why they hate it.<br /><br />Manufacturing beats healthcare in that regard. Yes, healthcare is different... and it's not always better.<br /><br />You can standardize the way doctors use software without interfering in how they practice medicine, right?Mark Grabanhttp://www.leanblog.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-17159915678890867462011-08-11T17:34:40.921-07:002011-08-11T17:34:40.921-07:00As to point number three, since I have programmed ...As to point number three, since I have programmed systems in both the health and dairy industries, I find the compensation plans are much alike. Talk to your local dairy farmer and see how he derives his compensation. Same as the local doctor.Doug Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08264887093052266501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-43011258977304512892011-08-11T08:58:01.655-07:002011-08-11T08:58:01.655-07:00Great summary of the healthcare industry. I agree ...Great summary of the healthcare industry. I agree with Dr. Liu that to a certain degree treatment can be standardized. Data intelligence and analytical tools now allow clinicians to gather data from across the continuum of care allowing them to analyze optimal care of patients within a care process with the same severity. <br /><br />Best care, can then be clinically identified measured and standardized.<br /><br />Thanks for the nice read.Chris Kellerhttp://hqcatalyst.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-84488351922851682502011-08-10T15:18:43.949-07:002011-08-10T15:18:43.949-07:00Not only is healthcare different it is a "com...Not only is healthcare different it is a "commodity" that defies any marketplace principle. This was clearly explained by Kenneth Arrow, Harvard economist, in a treatise dealing with the nature of healthcare: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/82/2/PHCBP.pdfDonald Green MDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14072082338456316544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-91437557872767302562011-08-10T13:36:20.149-07:002011-08-10T13:36:20.149-07:00A pilot error on an Airbus A380 flight could cost ...A pilot error on an Airbus A380 flight could cost the lives of up to 835 passengers. This study contains some lessons from aviation for the medical field: <a href="http://www.milbank.org/quarterly/8901feat.html" rel="nofollow">Counterheroism, Common Knowledge, and Ergonomics: Concepts from Aviation That Could Improve Patient Safety</a>Vidjinnagni Amoussouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06437681488603449364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-59695162477606941412011-08-10T10:52:39.758-07:002011-08-10T10:52:39.758-07:00John,
..nice blog, but you forgot to mention anot...John,<br /><br />..nice blog, but you forgot to mention another important reason healthcare is so different. Making a mistake has much more severe consequences in healthcare than any other profession or business. In addition, practicing "defensive medicine" has much more impact on costs than most people are willing to admit. In the opinion of some thought leaders, the law profession has helped to destroy the medical and healthcare profession in the US. That is by no means an excuse for we physicians to avoid the proactive, appropriate enforcment of professional and ethical guidelines own our own. In any case, keep up the good work!!!<br />Tom Sullivan, MDT. Sullivan, MDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04728234136144412864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-71023335219583388182011-08-10T08:14:08.860-07:002011-08-10T08:14:08.860-07:00Some of these reasons are specific to US practices...Some of these reasons are specific to US practices - but they are just replaced by other idiosyncratic practices in other countriesGrahame Grievehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08635283945076545993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-13559198288432807812011-08-10T07:46:45.813-07:002011-08-10T07:46:45.813-07:00Good list. Health informatics is different and dif...Good list. Health informatics is different and difficult. I'd add that a major source of difficulty is a 'political' dimension, present to a greater degree than other industries. <br /><br />The sources of this difficulty are varied, but one of the sources was described nearly 50 years ago, in a paper called 'Good organisational reasons for bad clincal records' by Harold Garfinkel. Not online unfortunately, but some details here http://books.google.com/books/about/Studies_in_ethnomethodology.html?id=zj_leg8-tIECgemstesthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10729764967579788379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-78511867661048151612011-08-10T07:35:53.405-07:002011-08-10T07:35:53.405-07:00Hi Dr. Halamka:
Healthcare does have a lot of cha...Hi Dr. Halamka:<br /><br />Healthcare does have a lot of challenges including compliance, regulatory, and reimbursement issues that make it uniquely challenged as you point out. Would disagree a little bit on a couple of points. Doctors are increasingly looking to become employees of hospitals and large multispecialty groups. Standardizing product is possible depending on specific diagnoses and where scientific and medical understanding are at the level of detail where workflows and treatment can be put into protocols.<br /><br />Also liked your cameo in the Year of the iPad video.<br /><br />-- <br />Davis Liu, MD<br />Author of Stay Healthy, Live Longer, Spend Wisely: Making Intelligent Choices in America's Healthcare System<br />(available in hardcover, Kindle, and iPad / iBooks)<br />Website: www.davisliumd.com<br />Blog: www.davisliumd.blogspot.com<br />Twitter: davisliumdDavis Liu, MDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15320315964654209559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4384692836709903146.post-1727612392734935142011-08-10T05:28:55.823-07:002011-08-10T05:28:55.823-07:00Healthcare is different. Which is why pursuing - ...Healthcare is different. Which is why pursuing - at least honestly exploring - a public option may make sense. When you look at the 7 differences, the reality is that the Public (the gov't) is already largely intertwined in healthcare. Because it is for the common good - the Community. This is not necessarily an evil thing (socialism is bad, etc, etc) - and shouldn't be a political thing - but a human thing (we form into groups/sociiety to improve our lot in life.)Bob Abrahamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18175149457114433049noreply@blogger.com