In the past several years, hospitals have made great strides in measuring the quality of care they provide and instituting necessary improvements. Still, little is known about the dynamics of hospital performance--the degree to which hospital quality is improving or deteriorating over time, and how hospitals are achieving and sustaining that improvement. Read more »
Is it even remotely possible to achieve universal health coverage while also reducing overall health care expenditures? According to an analysis of leading health reform proposals in Congress and by the Administration, prepared for The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System, it is indeed. Read more »
High-quality, readily available primary care is critical to keeping America healthy and productive. Yet the number of practicing primary care physicians is likely to decline sharply in coming years, as medical school graduates increasingly choose specialty fields. Read more »
In an editorial published in a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Fund president Karen Davis explores alternatives to the current fee-for-service payment system, which she says is a barrier to effective, coordinated, and efficient care. Read more »
Local chapters of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) say that "Open Forums," a new meeting format, are fostering partnerships between practicing pediatricians and government agencies, elected officials, child health advocates, insurers, and others. Read more »