Fyke also says that it has become clear that the health care system needs to be more accountable to taxpayers. We are entering a new era of accountability and performance measurement in health. As clients, and as taxpayers, we foot the bill for health care. We deserve to have it work for us, and we deserve to know if we are getting value for our investment. For all that we spend on health care, we know very little about how the system performs.
Health care is too important, and too expensive, to go unmanaged.
We must ask our health care providers about alternatives to expensive drugs or tests. We must press our governments to outline goals and quality expectations, and report how well they're being met. Spending more money may buy more services, but it won't necessarily improve health. If your house is cold, you could turn up the heat, hoping to get warmer, but if there's a hole in the roof, turning up the heat isn't the best investment. A health care system without a commitment to quality is like a house with a leaky roof.