Healthcare Reform

Introduction:

Donald Berwick, President Obama’s newly appointed CMS administrator, warns of “ill-considered autonomy” among health care professionals (Berwick, 2002). For example, as payment mechanisms are bundled (one payment shared by acute and post-acute programs and/or between hospitals and physicians and other professionals), clinicians will be chosen for the “bundle” who can produce results efficiently and who can perform collaboratively. Professionals who insist on “autonomy” and say that their services inherently “take longer” will likely not be chosen to participate.