What is “Value” in Health Care?
Should the government be in a central position to issue physician practice guidelines
based on cost efficiency? Why or why not?
Guidelines are important as they placed clinical practices to protect both patient
and healthcare professional. They are meant to standardize healthcare so there are not any
misuse by components of the health care and their groups. However, when the government
involves themselves into establishing guidelines, bill, laws or any other reforms for health
care, there is a tendency to focus their attention on the wrong issues giving the public (and
health professionals) the wrong impression.
If the government does implement physician guidelines for cost efficiency it can
bite them in the rear end and unfavorably affect the patients’ worse. As per authorsWoolf
et al(1999) states:
“Clinical guidelines can adversely affect public policy for patients.
Recommendations against an intervention may lead providers to drop access to or
coverage for services. Imprudent recommendations for costly interventions may
displace limited resources that are needed for other services of greater value to
patients.”
Needless to say, I do believe the government should step in and place guidelines to help
cost. However, ensuring there is no extra waste involvements, utilization of outdated
technologies or practices and most importantly conflicting guidelines that can drive even
more obstruction into using them. “Even when guidelines are correct, clinicians often find
them inconvenient and time consuming to use. Conflicting guidelines from different
professional bodies can also confuse and frustrate practitioners.” (Woolf et al, 1999.)
The government must heed what is best for both patients and providers.
Guidelines, developed should advocate operating efficiency to the medical industry and a
huge emphasis on financing, so assets needed for other or more effective services are not
impeded into because of the guidelines.
References
Woolf, S. H., Grol, R., Hutchinson, A., Eccles, M., & Grimshaw, J. (1999, February
20). Clinical guidelines: Potential benefits, limitations, and harms of clinical
guidelines. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). Retrieved May 2, 2022, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1114973/
