Question

View the video entitled, “The Future of US Healthcare” by Barry Bittman, MD. (The link may be found in the Content.) Among other things, the video talks about “Triple AIM.” What is “Triple AIM” under the Affordable Care Act? The video also cites the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) projections that our national health care expenditures will rise to $4.48 trillion by 2019, a number equivalent to 19.3 percent of our GDP. There is no doubt that the system must be reformed in order to sustain a viable and affordable health care system for everyone. What is Dr. Bittman’s recommendation for health care reform? Do you agree with his recommendations?

Answer 1

Three components of triple aim are:

• Improving patient experience
• improving population health
• Reducing per capita cost

Bittman's recommendations for healthcare reform

• A new vision is required
• The focus should be on eliminating wasted services, and, procedures; prevention, reducing costly admissions.
• Breaking healthcare silos for coordination, and, communication across disciplines
• Developing coordination between caregivers, and, physicians; community providers & healthcare institutions, and, hospital departments
• Build a patient-centered community care network, which is a continuum
• Budgeting for an interdisciplinary healthcare approach
• Using interdisciplinary prevention strategies, for improving the overall patient experience

One can agree with the recommendations as this will reduce the disparity between the number of caregivers available, and, the number of older individuals who require help. The community will play a larger role in providing care. Immigrants can be recruited as direct care workers as the compensation for these workers is not as much as those from the state. This model can bring fluidity to the system.