The Transformation of Health Care and the Role of the

University: Perspectives from the Wisconsin Medical Society

Susan Turney, MD, MS, FACMPE, FACP EVP/CEO

Wisconsin Medical Society

Wisconsin Medical Society Strategic Plan

Focus Areas:

• Health Insurance Coverage and Access

• Quality/Clinical Outcomes

Need the University’s help with measuring population health determinants affecting our strategic plan focus areas

What Can the University Do to

Transform Health Care?

• Increase physician advocacy

• Provide evidence-based data on best care

• Create economic modeling to better understand the cost impact with health system redesign

• Assess technology’s impact on quality and cost

Physicians in academic medical centers and universities are generally not as active in advocacy-related activities as those in more traditional private sector practices.

Transformation of Health Care

1. Knowledge explosion

2. Technology explosion

Practitioners can’t keep up.

Academic Rigor

• Study design

• Theory driven hypotheses

• Transparent methodology

• Ethics/Independent Review Board

• Vetting process in peer-reviewed journals

The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good

Set Research Priorities

• Conduct world class research on things that matter to practitioners

• Attract research funding so that more evidence can be obtained about what works for whom

Economic ModelingCost Effectiveness

Analysis (CEAs)

• Pay-for-performance

• Episodes of care comparisons

• Consumer driven health plans

Technology Assessment

• Clinical decision support

• Clinical data integration

• HIT design

• Patient safety and quality

Translating From Journals to Bedside

• Translational research is the University’s role

• Need to decrease the 17 year lag from recognized controlled trials to practice

• Direct how HIT will facilitate the process

The University Can Transform Health

Care By:

• Promoting Physician Advocacy

• Providing Evidence-based Data

• Creating Economic Modeling

• Assessing Technology

In order to seek one's own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of

ordinary, everyday life.

Thank you

Questions/Comments