Medical care
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The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed creating a unique device identification (UDI) system for medical devices to facilitate postmarket surveillance, quality improvement, and other applications. Although a small number of health care institutions have implemented initiatives comparable with the proposed UDI system by capturing data in electronic health record (EHR) systems, it is unknown whether institutions with fewer resources will be able to similarly implement UDI. ⋯ We provide recommendations for regulations, organizational sharing, and professional society engagement to raise awareness of and overcome UDI system implementation challenges. Implementation of the UDI system will require integration of people, process, and technology to achieve benefits envisioned by FDA, including improved postmarket device surveillance and quality of care.
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Under the Affordable Care Act, health care reimbursement will increasingly be linked to quality and costs. In this environment, teaching hospitals will be closely scrutinized, as their care is often more expensive. Furthermore, although they serve vital roles in education, research, management of complex diseases, and care of vulnerable populations, debate continues as to whether teaching hospitals deliver better outcomes for common conditions. ⋯ Health care reimbursement strategies designed to increase value should consider not only the costs but also the superior clinical outcomes at teaching hospitals for certain common conditions.