November 2019 | Volume 2
MOVING INTELLIGENT CHANGE FORWARD
INNOVATION DIGEST
Daily media coverage implies that pricing is the biggest threat to our health and our healthcare system. To be sure, the price of care has been overinflated in every sector, with little correlation to actual patient outcomes and seemingly little consequence for those in power (i.e. not the patient). And, while we’ve invested heavily in identifying and researching patient outcomes that matter, they haven’t yet translated into care that is customized, consistent, universally available and affordable. If patients are the source of important information and are valued as a central actor in their care, we need to invest more in supporting research and shared-data platforms that can help us ask and answer questions that are important to patients.

The CDC’s recent report and my attendance at yet another forum of learned stakeholders discussing the threat of antimicrobial resistance and the barriers that exist to innovation raises a starker question: while we’re obsessed with trying to control the price of services, are we in danger of ignoring real public health threats that will cripple our delivery system and our well-being? As I heard at the recent gathering, the antidote lies in shared responsibility for research, and for smoothing the pathways that allow shared data, diagnostics, therapeutic research and practice implementation to improve our arsenal and our preparedness for the ever-shifting microbes in our midst. It’s past time for the silos of proprietary data/methods/models/algorithms to come down. If we share and collaborate to produce the solution(s), doesn’t everyone win?
Biggest Threats and Data
CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019 (2019 AR Threats Report) includes the latest national death and infection estimates that underscore the continued threat of antibiotic resistance in the U.S.
According to the report, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result. In addition, 223,900 cases of Clostridioides difficile occurred in 2017 and at least 12,800 people died.
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The 'post-antibiotic era' is here: Drug-resistant superbugs sicken 2.8M and kill 35K each year
Drug-resistant "superbugs" infect 2.8 million people and cause more than 35,000 deaths each year, underscoring the enormous public health threat of germs in what one official describes as a "post-antibiotic era," according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
The report, which analyzes electronic health records and other data, shows an infection every 11 seconds and a death every 15 minutes on average from bugs that resist treatment from antibiotics.
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Important Steps to Advance the Use of Patient-Generated Data
Imagine a scenario where information gathered through an app can help you and your provider make decisions about your health and treatment plan. Given the recent proliferation of technologies such as FitBit, Apple Watch and Cardiogram, a future where patient-generated health data features prominently in conversations between providers and patients appears to be on the horizon.
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Incorporating Patient Perspectives and Transparency for Patient-Centered Value Assessment
Much of the recent focus on containing the rising costs of American health care has been on pharmaceuticals. But a focus on cost containment without due attention to quality, including quality from the patient’s perspective, threatens to negatively affect patient outcomes and erode value. While methods have been established for value assessment, accounting for the patient’s perspective on what constitutes quality and value remains a challenge.
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The Power of Person-Generated Health Data: Five Ways to Improve the Care Experience
The use of technology in health care has improved many aspects of the way the health system works. Consumers can order prescription refills and schedule appointments online. Electronic health records (EHRs) allow clinicians to look up a person’s drug allergies and medical history in a fraction of the time it would take to locate that information in a paper record.
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JAMA: Lower cost hospitals have similar patient outcomes as higher cost counterparts
There has been a long-held assumption in the hospital sector that case acuity, socioeconomic stratification and many other factors greatly affect overall healthcare costs. However, a new study by researchers from Yale University, Harvard University and Yale-New Haven Hospital found lower cost hospitals — which tended to be smaller and non-teaching facilities than their high-cost counterparts — treated the same patients at less cost with virtually the same outcomes.
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Passion + Quality = Change That Matters
  
I embrace the powerful opportunities in our evolving health care landscape. I founded Momentum Health Strategies to be a catalyst for change through continuous learning, diverse engagement and thoughtful policy and practice initiatives. I deliver innovative, strategic thinking and a passion for improving the patient experience. My personal drive and dedication to high-quality results will help you navigate the competitive terrain you face and convert your vision to action.

Momentum Health Strategies

Jennifer L Bright, MPA
(703) 628 - 0534
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