Yesterday, I attended The Atlantic’s 2011 Health Care Forum in Washington, D.C.  Distinguished speakers included Peter Shumlin, Governor of Vermont, Ron Wyden, Senator from Oregon, and Directors, Presidents, and CEO’s of prominent organizations, corporations, and healthcare institutes in the United States.  The ballroom at the Willard InterContinential Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue was filled to the brim with well over 200 people (who also represented CEO’s, presidents, directors, etc of interested health care companies and parties interested in reforming the delivery of health in our country). 

40 individuals were invited as media representatives and I was humbled to be one of those 40.  It was a new experience for me and I was a bit excited to be sitting next to folks whom had previously only been names mentioned in weighty health policy articles.  For example, I sat with Darrel G. Kirsh, President & CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, and Victor Dzau, Chancellor of Health Affairs of Duke University and President & CEO of Duke University Health Systems.

The three large panel discussions included:

• Health Care 2020: Reform, the Deficit, & the Future of American Health Care Policy
• Integrated Care: Can Coordinating Service Lower Costs and Improve Quality?
• The Future of Medicine: Physician Education, Research, and New Models of Care
• Behavioral Economics: The Role of Patients and Caregivers in Health Care

It wasn’t until the end of the day that patients were even mentioned and unfortunately many in the audience had already left the event.  My guess is that there were approximately only 50-60 people remaining.  No patient was included on a panel which by title would imply a significant discussion of what patients and caregivers can do to effect better health care. 

I need to re-watch the video I recorded to be completely objective, but my original impression was that there was great discussion of how the mis-behavior of patients negatively impacts the economics of health care and how physicians need better financial incentives to encourage better behavior from their patients.  There was lots of discussion about compliance, adherence, and how traditional educational programs are ineffective. 

It just seemed like an upside-down discussion to me, sitting up front and center, waiting for the Harry Johns, President & CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, to throw a bone to what patients (and their caregivers) can actually do positively to effect change and curb costs within the system.  Earlier discussions in the day emphasized that significant shifts in the way the health system reimburses care and how technology can be used will be necessary in helping us (really the healthcare companies and professionals) to make any progress toward improving health and health care in our country.  I agree.