Safe, Effective, and Cost-Efficient Healthcare (Health, Medicine, Nursing Essay)

Safe, Effective, and Cost-Efficient Healthcare
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Safe, Effective, and Cost-Efficient Healthcare
The healthcare sector is one of the most significant aspects of any economy in the world. It is not only fundamental to people’s lives but also the economy of a country. In the U.S., the healthcare sector continues to baffle many, especially considering facts like it “employs 11 percent of American workers,” “accounts for 24 percent of government spending,” and “is one of the largest categories of consumer spending” (Nunn, Parsons, & Schambaughs, 2020). Compared to other OECD countries, the U.S. is by far the country that spends the most on healthcare (OECD, 2019). However, despite the above, the U.S. is not remotely close to being the country that offers the best healthcare service. According to Radu (2020), the countries that offer or have the best healthcare systems include Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Netherlands, and Switzerland. Even though these countries spend considerably less than the United States, their healthcare systems offer better service compared to that of the U.S. However, the U.S. healthcare system is not short on ideas of how it can be revamped or enhanced. The gist of this paper is mainly on how resources like comparative effectiveness, appropriate use criteria, and the Choose Wisely campaign can help ensure there is the provision of safe, effective, and cost-efficient healthcare to patients. Therefore, below is an elucidation of each concept and how professionals can use it to enhance patient safety while also reducing healthcare costs.
Comparative Effectiveness Research
To understand what comparative effectiveness research is, one must consider the universally accepted definition provided by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). IOM defines comparative effectiveness research as “the generation and synthesis of evidence that compares the benefits and harms of alternative methods to prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor a clinical condition or to improve the delivery of care. The purpose of CER is to assist consumers, clinicians, purchases, and policymakers to make informed decisions that will improve healthcare at both the individual and population levels” (IOM, 2009).
Every country’s healthcare system seeks to enhance patient outcomes and ensure the safety and effectiveness of healthcare professionals. However, achieving the above is nearly impossible if credible evidence is available (IOM, 2011). Credible evidence is the basis upon which healthcare professionals will make better decisions, thus improving patient safety and effectiveness.
Aside from the above, CER can also help healthcare professionals offer cost-efficient care to patients. By analyzing the comparative effectiveness and the cost-effectiveness of procedures, CER will help healthcare professionals offer the cheapest procedures but offer better value to the patients. By adding healthcare knowledge, CER helps to offer what works and what does not work, thus saving on cost (National Bureau of Economic Research, 2011). Healthcare professionals are thus in a much better place to offer appropriate care with more comparative studies.
Appropriate Use Criteria
It helps healthcare professionals make evidence-based decisions on what action/procedures to order for the patients based on research. This reduces the overuse of advanced imaging services and helps doctors make informed decisions on how to treat their patients. It is not always obvious for healthcare professionals to determine if the health benefits exceed the expected health risks. A healthcare professional should alw...