Treating Organizational Ills Via Patient-Centered Care

...To truly deliver “more for less” government health agencies should look to organizational advancements made by another community fraught with complexity, trying to cut costs and improve quality simultaneously — the medical community.

Many healthcare organizations have cut costs by moving away from “doctor-centric” service to patient-centered, integrated care. This model deemphasizes the doctor as the central figure of care and communication, in addition to more actively involving patients and families in the care process. It also favors interdisciplinary teams of medical professionals, who deliver safe, effective and often novel approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Treating the ills of an organization is in many respects similar to treating a patient. Just as interdisciplinary approaches to improving patient outcomes are successful, similar tactics can provide government health agencies cost-efficient and effective solutions, lasting process improvements and effective change management...