Comments on: Health Plans & Hospitals… http://www.letstalkhealthcare.org/transparency/health-plans-hospitals/ Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:49:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Paul Levy http://www.letstalkhealthcare.org/transparency/health-plans-hospitals/#comment-4617 Paul Levy Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:48:24 +0000 http://www.letstalkhealthcare.org/?p=184#comment-4617 Well, there you have, Charlie. A landslide: Ayes 3 - Nays 0! Why is it that people who have raised concerns with you privately about his won't say anything here publicly, even under a pseudonym, so that the rest of us can understand their concerns? Well, there you have, Charlie. A landslide: Ayes 3 - Nays 0!

Why is it that people who have raised concerns with you privately about his won’t say anything here publicly, even under a pseudonym, so that the rest of us can understand their concerns?

]]> By: leanne berge http://www.letstalkhealthcare.org/transparency/health-plans-hospitals/#comment-4604 leanne berge Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:09:35 +0000 http://www.letstalkhealthcare.org/?p=184#comment-4604 I am frankly surprised that there are any negative reactions to Charlie's participation on the BIDMC board of trustees, particularly given the parameters that are clearly delineated to avoid potential conflicts. What are folks afraid of? That Charlie will gain insight into the issues facing hospitals that might color his thinking in policy-making decisions? Or that he will have a particular bias for one provider over another in the market? Seems as absurd to worry about this as it would be to believe gay marriage threatens "traditional marriage". Given the complex and multi-factored challenges facing the business of health care, we should welcome everything that contributes to open-minded and innovative thinking. I am frankly surprised that there are any negative reactions to Charlie’s participation on the BIDMC board of trustees, particularly given the parameters that are clearly delineated to avoid potential conflicts. What are folks afraid of? That Charlie will gain insight into the issues facing hospitals that might color his thinking in policy-making decisions? Or that he will have a particular bias for one provider over another in the market? Seems as absurd to worry about this as it would be to believe gay marriage threatens “traditional marriage”. Given the complex and multi-factored challenges facing the business of health care, we should welcome everything that contributes to open-minded and innovative thinking.

]]> By: Paul Levy http://www.letstalkhealthcare.org/transparency/health-plans-hospitals/#comment-4602 Paul Levy Mon, 26 Nov 2007 22:01:08 +0000 http://www.letstalkhealthcare.org/?p=184#comment-4602 I, too, view it as win-win. (No surprise!) Charlie gets to learn about how we try to make improvements in patient safety and quality and service, and we get the benefit of his advice in those arenas and a better understanding of the concerns of his subscribers. And, yes, with any luck, it will improve both blogs, too! More seriously, we do not exclude people from other industries and companies who do business with the hospital from being on our boards. We, of course, make them recuse themselves from any areas in which there might be a conflict of interest; but, in general, we seek highly qualified people from a broad variety of backgrounds to serve on our boards. I, too, view it as win-win. (No surprise!) Charlie gets to learn about how we try to make improvements in patient safety and quality and service, and we get the benefit of his advice in those arenas and a better understanding of the concerns of his subscribers.

And, yes, with any luck, it will improve both blogs, too!

More seriously, we do not exclude people from other industries and companies who do business with the hospital from being on our boards. We, of course, make them recuse themselves from any areas in which there might be a conflict of interest; but, in general, we seek highly qualified people from a broad variety of backgrounds to serve on our boards.

]]> By: Supportive http://www.letstalkhealthcare.org/transparency/health-plans-hospitals/#comment-4601 Supportive Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:36:15 +0000 http://www.letstalkhealthcare.org/?p=184#comment-4601 I think it is terrific and about time that an insurance company executive (albeit of a non-profit) is willing to examine the care delivery system from the perspective of a trustee -- committed to sustaining an academic medical center's full charitable mission. I think the medical center will learn much from you and that you, in turn, will learn from them. But who'll be blogging about what?? We'll have to keep reading you and Paul Levy... I think it is terrific and about time that an insurance company executive (albeit of a non-profit) is willing to examine the care delivery system from the perspective of a trustee — committed to sustaining an academic medical center’s full charitable mission. I think the medical center will learn much from you and that you, in turn, will learn from them. But who’ll be blogging about what?? We’ll have to keep reading you and Paul Levy…

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