In the Headlines
April 21, 2010
We Do Need Change
Florida Trend
National Healthcare & Life Sciences Team Chair Maria Currier was featured in a Florida Trend article titled, "We Do Need Change."
The article focuses on Ms. Currier's unique perspective as a corporate and healthcare attorney who is also a former nurse.
Ms. Currier sees a major change coming in the "fee-for-service" system and predicts that bundled payments, in which a single entity receives payment for a patient's care and distributes it among the various providers involved in treatment, will become the new model. Bundled payment models have led to less paperwork, lower costs, better care coordination and fewer hospital readmissions. "The most important part of this whole puzzle now is we've got to control the cost. If we don't, this is going to be a huge problem for this country," she said.
She also predicts an increase in consolidation, acquisitions and contractual partnerships as companies adapt to the new healthcare climate. In response, the government will have to amend certain rules to allow providers to prosper.
Overall, Ms. Currier predicts good things for the U.S. healthcare industry. "I think it's an exciting time. We're going to see a lot of new business models, opportunities. This is America. We're going to find the solution and there's going to be a better system than we've got today."
The article focuses on Ms. Currier's unique perspective as a corporate and healthcare attorney who is also a former nurse.
Ms. Currier sees a major change coming in the "fee-for-service" system and predicts that bundled payments, in which a single entity receives payment for a patient's care and distributes it among the various providers involved in treatment, will become the new model. Bundled payment models have led to less paperwork, lower costs, better care coordination and fewer hospital readmissions. "The most important part of this whole puzzle now is we've got to control the cost. If we don't, this is going to be a huge problem for this country," she said.
She also predicts an increase in consolidation, acquisitions and contractual partnerships as companies adapt to the new healthcare climate. In response, the government will have to amend certain rules to allow providers to prosper.
Overall, Ms. Currier predicts good things for the U.S. healthcare industry. "I think it's an exciting time. We're going to see a lot of new business models, opportunities. This is America. We're going to find the solution and there's going to be a better system than we've got today."