Health Waste?
New research suggests that 30 cents in every dollar spent on health is wasted.
Against the backdrop of the efficiency saving being placed on healthcare in the UK and elsewhere, that figure is hard to swallow. Where could that waste be coming from, and could it prevented?! Big questions, with answers that are no doubt complicated and elusive! The report from the American Medical Association suggests that physicians can reduce this.
Physicians are often termed the gatekeepers of the healthcare system – determining who gets past into the specialists and hospitals. With the common convoluted stories of getting a diagnosis it seems that much of the time consultants spend with patients could be minimised if patients are slip-streamed into the right department in the first place! Other areas already identified in the healthcare area include prescriptions. Until drugs no longer needed can be returned and re-used, prescribing accurate amounts is so important to reduce waste in this area to make an impact overall.
This waste presents a new potential benchmark against which to measure the innovation of the healthcare industry
