 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Sounds like a good idea – why isn't everyone doing it?
Frankly, in the past, the health care industry
hasn't particularly wanted to be measured, especially in the area of outcomes. Recent national attention has focused on the problems with the current health care system. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies issued a far reaching report in 2001 entitled "Crossing the Quality Chasm" that characterized the problem: "The nation's health care industry has foundered in its ability to provide safe, high quality care consistently to all Americans....Americans should be able to count on receiving care that uses the best scientific knowledge to meet their needs, but there is strong evidence that this frequently is not the case." (Read more.)
One of the key recommendations of the report is for health care providers to measure the effectiveness of the care they provide. In the past, measuring the results of care has often been overlooked. Or, outcome results are typically personal and anecdotal, so not very useful in a broad way.
A fledgling "outcomes" effort got started in the 70s but got overshadowed by a focus on short term costs rather than true value. Along with the national attention from the Institute of Medicine, there has also been a renewed interest in outcomes research as employers look at the impact of health status on work performance and productivity. |
|
Perhaps you should. Like many things in life, there are clear differences in quality and cost. Some health care works better than others. Some health care providers do better than others. And some ergonomic products work better than others.
A core mission of HWO is to provide a safe place for people to tell us about their health and health-related quality of life. Poor health doesn't just impact the workplace, it can also impact our whole lives. Health is not just the absence of diseases or injury. It is having physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.
HWO's instruments and methodology help our clients and the people they employ or serve to work towards this end.
Our products and services help measure and improve:
- People's functional health status and quality of life
- Health care providers' outcomes (results)
- The impact of ergonomic products
- The value businesses get from their health and safety programs and health and disability plans.
|
|
