Comments on: USA Health Care Costs reach 15.3% of GDP – the highest percentage ever

By: USA Healthcare Costs Now 16% of GDP

USA Healthcare Costs Now 16% of GDP — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:17:59 +0000

[...] So the rate at which healthcare spending continues to increase is decreasing. That is better than increasing at an increasing rate. However, it is already a huge drag on the economy and the need is for the expenditures to actually decrease [...]

By: Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog » Health Insurance Premiums Soar Again

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 23:32:05 +0000

[...] This health care crisis continues to dramatically harm the economy yet attempts to deal with the issue remain much too small. Good news is available, for example: Lean Health Care Works and Going Lean in Health Care. Read the full report. Also see more posts on health care management improvement. [...]

By: Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog » Blog Archive » Lean Health Care Works

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 02:39:48 +0000

[...] The article was written in 2003, by 2005 health care spending reached 15.3% of the USA economy. A group of Iowa manufacturing executives has already taken Jimmerson’s recommendation a few steps further: They’re teaming up with their health-care providers, showing them the benefits, educating them on the principles and practices, and helping them to implement lean. “We’re doing this with the hopes that somewhere along the line, we’re going to save some money and that maybe our health-care costs won’t be so astronomical,” says David Speer, director of LeanSigma at Maytag Appliances, Newton, Iowa. [...]

By: Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog » Blog Archive » VA Medical Care

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 03:15:29 +0000

[...] Overall this is an interesting article. I am sure there are plenty of problems in the VA system – it is huge and complex. However, they may also have valuable ideas for the health care system that is very much in need of improvement. Also see: PBS documentary on improving hospitals. When hospitals were evacuated from New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, the VA’s patients were the only ones whose medical records could be accessed immediately anywhere in the country. by curiouscat Tags: Management, Innovation, Public Sector, Health care Permalink to: VA Medical Care [...]

By: Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog » Blog Archive » Going Lean in Health Care

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 03:04:31 +0000

[...] These types of improvements are needed system wide. As we posted earlier Health Care costs reached a record high percentage of GDP last year (15.3%). This problem continues to grow more than two decades after Deming included the high cost of health care as one of the seven deadly diseases. Despite a ‘“no-layoff policy,’” a key tenet of lean management, staffing trends at Virginia Mason show a decrease in 2003 and 2004, after six years of annual increases in the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs). Using lean principles, staff, providers and patients have continuously improved or redesigned processes to eliminate waste, requiring fewer staff members and less rework, and resulting in better quality. Consequently, as employees retire or leave for other reasons, improved productivity allows for them not to be replaced. [...]

By: Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog » Blog Archive » Deming’s Seven Deadly Diseases

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 03:00:26 +0000

[...] I posted earlier this year on this topic:USA Health Care Costs reaching 15.3% of GDP – the highest percentage ever. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services release focused on it a different way saying: “HEALTH CARE SPENDING IN THE UNITED STATES SLOWS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVEN YEARS” (I am repeating their use of ALL CAPS). Of all the deadly diseases, excessive medical costs seems to be doing the most critical damage to the country and I see little hope that it won’t keep getting worse. [...]

By: Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog » Blog Archive » Management Improvement in Healthcare

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 02:59:17 +0000

[...] The healthcare system is in need of improvement: USA Health Care Costs reach 15.3% of GDP – the highest percentage ever. [...]