Transparency and Personal Responsibility

The current issue of Health Affairs has an interesting piece in the Narrative Matters section about the relationship between taking personal responsibility for one’s own health care decisions and the need for increased transparency about procedure outcomes, doctor experience, and therapeutic alternatives. I would add that increased transparency about pricing is also necessary; if we are going to shop around for health care, we need to be able to get price quotes for the services we require. A good piece to read as we debate health care reform and the direction it should take. If we want to be more consumer-directed, consumers need good information. This piece highlights how hard it can be to get that information when it comes to healthcare.