In US, different business groups are gathered to improve the health care quality in the state. The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality was recognized as a pilot site to pioneer new methods of reporting on quality of care.
In a meeting in Milwaukee with US HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt, executives from area businesses signed statements of support for a national initiative aimed at improving health care quality, information and cost-effectiveness for employees and their families.
Altogether, more than 2.3 million people will benefit by implementation of this initiative in Wisconsin. Employers signing on from Wisconsin include Advanced Healthcare, SC; Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield; Aurora; Blomquist Benefits LLC; Brady Corporation; Bucyrus International, Inc.; Business Health Care Group; Columbia St. Mary’s, Inc.; Diversified Insurance Services, Inc; DMT-Drillmaster Tool; GE Healthcare; Harley-Davidson Motor Co.; Hays Companies; Health Care System Consultants; Health Solutions LTD; Humana; IntellectualMarketing, LLC; Johnson & Johnson; Johnson Controls; Jorgensen Conveyors, Inc.; Joy Global; Journal Sentinel; Ladish Co., Inc; Laurus Strategies; Manpower; Marcus Corporation; Marshall & Ilsley Corporation; Mid- State Insurance; Midwest Airlines, Inc.; MJ Care, Inc.; MMAC; Northwestern Mutual; Orion Corporation; Patient Care; Rockwell Automation; Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc.; Screen Specialists Ltd.; Serigraph Inc; Steffes & Associates; The Alliance; ThedaCare, Inc.; Thurman Financial Services; United Healthcare; US Bank; Wachovia Insurance Services; Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality; Wisconsin Health Information Organization; Wisconsin Medical Society; Wisconsin Physicians Service; the Department of Employee Trust Funds; City of Milwaukee Health Department; and the Department of Health and Family Services.
The executives pledged to provide quality and price information about doctors, hospitals and other medical providers for all enrollees in their health care insurance programs. This information will help employees choose health care providers based on the quality of care they deliver and the prices they charge.
In addition, the employers will support health information technology by encouraging the use of recognized interoperability standards in the health IT products used by their health plans. They also pledged to develop incentives for achieving better value in health care, including incentives for high quality care and for more active involvement by employees in choosing their health care services.
“With the commitment that Wisconsin employers like these are now making, I expect many changes in health care,” Secretary Leavitt said. “Patients will come to expect quality and performance information about health care providers. They will expect to have price or cost information in advance to make good value decisions about their care. They will use this information to improve health care value for themselves and their families. And the choices they make will help improve value and health care quality across the health care sector.”