According to Harvard Business School researchers, one of the most effective ways to improve patient outcomes is also one of the simplest: physicians talking more with patients.
Unfortunately, the fee-for-service payment model in the US does not properly value physicians’ time, but rather incentivizes doctors to maximize treatment volumes and minimize unprofitable consultations. This is bad news for patients, who suffer from higher complication rates and slower recovery times as a result.
As quoted in a recent article in Harvard Business School Working Knowledge, lead researcher Robert S. Kaplan argues that “it becomes obvious that [physicians] can make the tradeoff to spend more time [with patients] earlier to prevent high-cost incidents that could occur later.”
At Summus, we recognize the importance of quality conversations with physicians, and are constantly driven by our core mission of empowering patients.
You can read more about Kaplan’s findings here.
