The Consumer-Patient Purchaser Disclosure Project

Posted on June 17, 2008 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Advancing Healthcare Transparency and Advocacy

Staff ReportersVooDoo

The Consumer-Purchaser Disclosure Project http://healthcaredisclosure.org, and various collaborating organizations, recently announced that a “comprehensive national agreement” has been reached with “leading physician groups and health insurers on principles to guide how health plans measure doctors’ performance and report the information to consumers.”

Stakeholders-on-Board

Stakeholders signing on to support the initiative include AARP, AFL-CIO, the Leapfrog Group, the National Business Coalition on Health, the National Partnership for Women and Families, the Pacific Business Group on Health, the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Surgeons, America’s Health Insurance Plans, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare and WellPoint; etc.

Goals and Objectives

According to website and PR announcements, the goal of the “Patient Charter for Physician Performance Measurement, Reporting and Tiering Programs” is to create a national set of principles regarding measuring doctors’ performance and reporting such information to consumers. Health plans adopting the Patient Charter agree to a standard set of performance measurement principles and reporting. The also agree to have their consumer reporting assessed by an independent review organization.

Assessment

The CP-DP is not a new idea. There is a multitude of provider ranking and data comparison initiatives that are available to patients-consumers. Some significant other initiatives include: 

  • CMS provides comparative data tools for Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Home Health, and Dialysis at www.medicare.gov
  • The Leapfrog Group (www.leapfrog.org ) annually publishes their national list of “Top Hospitals” 
  • Thomson annually publishes the national list of 100 Top Hospitals based upon proprietary benchmarks and AHRQ patient safety measures, available at www.100tophospitals.com 
  • NCQA publishes listings of “NCQA-Recognized physicians” that “have met the highest standards of quality care in the areas of heart/stroke care, diabetes care, back pain and systematic processes.” at www.ncqa.org
  • WellPoint (www.wellpoint.com) now provides Zagat consumer rating tools for physicians for its health plan members in selected markets.

And, the new program hopes to bring increased credibility, security, transparency and fairness to the process, and to benefit all stake holders of the healthcare industrial complex.

Conclusion

Your thoughts and comments are appreciated; as a medical provider, financial advisor, healthcare executive, economist and ultimate patient? Is this VooDoo advocacy; or not?

Related Information Sources:

Practice Management: http://www.springerpub.com/prod.aspx?prod_id=23759

Physician Financial Planning: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790

Medical Risk Management: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/9780763733421

Healthcare Organizations: www.HealthcareFinancials.com

Health Administration Terms: www.HealthDictionarySeries.com

Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com

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