On this day of reflection I am reading Marc's post about creating a system, and the reactions that terminology provokes. We often talk about healthcare as though it is a system, but today it is not. The similarities to our 'national intelligence system' come to mind.
Thoughtful dedicated people, gathering information, mountains of it, some of it duplicated at many points. Too much information without the ability to have it sorted and flagged relative to its importance. No connection between the collectors. Key information is lost or identified too late.
Our healthcare providers in their practices are also thoughtful, dedicated people, gathering and sorting through information. This has too long happened in isolation, without the information sharing between providers that can avoid near misses, delays, catastrophe for patient health. This isn't about the people, it is about creating a real system...a woven safety net, a system that supports and sorts through the information to prevent patients from falling through the cracks between indivdual practices and providers.
