Healthcare transparency: opportunity or mirage

Abstract

Purpose

Healthcare is an ever‐growing segment of the American economy. Transparency facilitates better decision‐making and better outcomes measures. The purpose of this paper is to present the human and economic results of increasing transparency.

Design/methodology/approach

The ASIMP Working Group on Healthcare Transparency represents a diverse yet conscilient group of practitioners, researchers, regulators, economists, and academics. Given the need for re‐envisioning healthcare to include more accountability, evidence of efficacy and transparency, this integrative medicine (ASIMP) working group is suitable to address the above purpose.

Findings

Substantial opportunity exists to reduce morbidity and mortality, suffering and excess death, unnecessary costs and risks. Greater transparency facilitates the transition to safer, more effective, more humane healthcare.

Research limitations/implications

This paper starts from a need to improve clinical outcomes and value for resources devoted. Best efforts of a national working group are presented. The implications of the report, when tested, will determine the enduring value of this work.

Practical implications

Consumers and business, administrators and practitioners can improve care at lower cost by increasing transparency. This will accelerate the diffusion of effective approaches that are not yet in widespread use despite replication of efficacy.

Originality/value

This is the first time an integrative approach has been compared with conventional healthcare models, particularly with regard to the role of transparency in healthcare management.

Citation

Jaffe, R., Nash, R.A., Ash, R., Schwartz, N., Corish, R., Born, T., Lazarus, H. and Working Group on Healthcare Transparency, A. (2006), "Healthcare transparency: opportunity or mirage", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 25 No. 10, pp. 981-995. https://doi.org/10.1108/02621710610708603

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