Developing local solutions and policies to reduce disparities in health care

When it comes to transforming the U.S. health care system, cooperative local action is just as important as common national goals. Today, the health care system is often described as more of a “sector” – a disconnected collection of medical businesses, treatment centers and hospitals. These facilities generally are not fully leveraging the data and resources available to them to help build an interoperable national system that can address issues ranging from confronting disparities to eliminating adverse drug events. While national coordination will be required to convert this sector into a true system, the relationships, collaboration and trust that will be required to be successful need to be built at the local level. This session will review current trends, issues and activities that are shaping the future direction of health care delivery, including the adoption of health information technology and the vision for using transparency to help provide the balance that is required to develop good quality measures and promote equitable, value-driven health care.