ACR Participates in White House Forum on Delivery System Reform
December 20, 2010
On Friday, December 17, ACR President David Borenstein, MD, and Government Affairs Committee Chair Tim Laing, MD, attended a White House forum on Delivery System Reforms.
Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, PhD, who currently serves as Special Advisor for Health Policy at the Office of Management and Budget, invited health care providers and senior Administration officials, including Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Donald Berwick, MD, to participate in this forum. The discussion was an open dialogue around how providers can make hospitals safer and reduce re-admission rates and how providers can make accountable care organizations work.
"We voiced our concern so that others understand the benefit of rheumatology-provided care for chronically-ill patients. While accountable care organizations are forming around in-patient care, we must recognize situations such as improved outcomes for patients with RA who see a rheumatologist early," says Dr. Laing. "Rheumatologists are not seeking to reduce re-admission; rheumatologists actually prevent hospital admission in the first place," he continues.
After Friday's meeting Dr. Borenstein notes, "I am pleased that the American College of Rheumatology was included again in these additional discussions and look forward to participating in future talks to ensure CMS and other government agencies consider the important role rheumatology plays in delivering high valued health care."
