America's Health Insurance Plans has released a national strategy to advance improvement in U.S. healthcare quality and safety.
The strategy, revealed in a 16-page report called "Setting a Higher Bar: We Believe There Is More the Nation Can Do to Improve Quality and Safety In Health Care," calls for the establishment of a new private-public entity to compare and report the effectiveness of treatments and technologies. In addition, it calls for changes that would allow the Food and Drug Administration to monitor the long-term impact of new drugs, devices and biologicals, according to Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of AHIP.
The plan also advocates transparency of healthcare information, speedy adoption of best practices, and calls for the creation of a new patient-centered dispute resolution mechanism, Ignagni said.
"Improving the safety and quality of care will allow the nation to more quickly provide coverage to all Americans," Ignagni said. "We can enhance the value of the nation's investment in healthcare and ensure that patients receive the right care at the right time in the right setting."
Last November AHIP proposed a comprehensive plan to provide healthcare insurance coverage to all American children within three years and to 95 percent of adults within ten years. The proposal urged a federal framework allowing states to provide incentives for expanding health insurance coverage.