RAND: Health Care Access and Quality2009-10-15T12:11:00ZCopyright (c) 2007-2008, The RAND Corporation
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RAND Corporationurn:uuid:0992B86E-F6D5-11DD-8200-12D538788F35Quality of Surgeon Referrals for Women with Breast Cancer Depends on the Sourceurn:uuid:4A642D7E-4064-11DC-9F4E-5D73D9109DDE2008-10-08T03:00:00Z2008-10-08T03:00:00ZPatients who select their own breast cancer surgeons are more likely to be treated by high volume providers in a highly-rated cancer center than if they rely on referrals from their clinician or health plan.Lessons from Early Adopters of Child-Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systemsurn:uuid:5FF0669C-73A5-11DD-90D1-58C038788F352008-09-16T03:00:00Z2008-09-16T03:00:00ZAlthough child-care quality rating and improvement systems have widespread appeal and are being adopted in many states, there is a dearth of practical knowledge on how to develop and implement them. A review of early-adopter programs highlights lessons learned and offers recommendations.Potential Benefits and Costs of Increased Adoption of Health Information Technologyurn:uuid:4C04E656-52A0-11DD-A1D4-0CC138788F352008-07-17T03:00:00Z2008-07-17T03:00:00ZIn testimony presented before the Senate Finance Committee, Richard Hillestead discusses the need for increased HIT adoption in order to improve quality of care and to reduce long-term health system costs, as well as likely barriers to adoption that government policy can help overcome.Health of Chinese and Indian Citizens Improves but Still Lags Behind Rest of Worldurn:uuid:45EA40C8-3C65-11DD-A032-E1BD38788F352008-07-01T03:00:00Z2008-07-01T03:00:00ZChina and India's health systems have shown advances in boosting life expectancy and disease prevention in the past fifty years. However, those living in the two nations are still exposed to a high degree of financial risk, geographical inequities in health care access, and overall poorer health than in other countries.An Assessment of How Tobacco Money Could Improve Washington, D.C.’s Health Care Systemurn:uuid:39A4AA50-3EC3-11DD-BBE1-E1BD38788F352008-06-25T03:00:00Z2008-06-25T03:00:00ZThis study of health care access and delivery in the nation's capital explores how an assessment of D.C. citizens' comprehensive and urgent health needs as well as the recent tobacco settlement could be used to improve local health care policy options.The Case for Keeping Quality on the Health Reform Agendaurn:uuid:4125901E-2E6F-11DD-857B-E1BD38788F352008-06-03T03:00:00Z2008-06-03T03:00:00ZIn testimony presented before the Senate Committee on Finance, Elizabeth McGlynn discusses the substantial gap that exists between what is known to work and what is actually provided in the U.S. health care system.What Does Economics Tell Us About Early Childhood Policy?urn:uuid:521C94B2-1DC1-11DD-A9A0-E1BD38788F352008-05-12T03:00:00Z2008-05-12T03:00:00ZA growing body of economic research suggests that public investment in early childhood programs may be able to lower public costs for social services by improving children's long-term welfare.RAND Review, Spring 2008: Baby Stepsurn:uuid:1F1B4060-1063-11DD-8EFC-E1BD38788F352008-04-30T03:00:00Z2008-04-30T03:00:00ZThe Spring 2008 issue of RAND Review compares neonatal services across the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Sweden, discusses water resources management, U.S. policies in Asia, and political polarization.A Better Way to Pay for Prescriptionsurn:uuid:2ADC195A-113B-11DD-BAFD-E1BD38788F352008-04-19T03:00:00Z2008-04-19T03:00:00ZThe pricing plans most people choose for their cell phones are simple: Pay one price and talk as much as you want. What if paying for your prescription drugs were as easy and appealing?, writes Dana P. Goldman.One In Five Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Suffer from PTSD or Major Depressionurn:uuid:D68400CA-00D7-11DD-B5C6-80F038788F352008-04-17T03:00:00Z2008-04-17T03:00:00ZNearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan — 300,000 in all — report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment.Health Indicators Address Quality of Care in Older Adultsurn:uuid:D32341BE-D8A2-11DC-A98F-BABE38788F352008-02-15T03:00:00Z2008-02-15T03:00:00ZVulnerable elders receive on average only half of recommended care; for conditions that affect primarily the elderly, they receive appropriate care less than one-third of the time. Interventions based on ACOVE indicators can improve the care physicians provide to older adults.The Quality of Health Care for America's Childrenurn:uuid:AA317062-D34F-11DC-998B-97E438788F352008-02-04T03:00:00Z2008-02-04T03:00:00ZIn a policy luncheon hosted by the Promising Practices Network and the RAND Corporation, Dr. Elizabeth McGlynn presented research findings and recommendations related to the quality of pediatric health care in the United States. Video of the event is available online.Consumers Could Buy Yearly `Drug Licenses' As New Way to Pay for Prescriptionsurn:uuid:C163DD32-C83D-11DC-A98F-BABE38788F352008-01-21T03:00:00Z2008-01-21T03:00:00ZChanging the way consumers pay for prescription drugs so that the system more closely resembles paying for cell phones or computer software could increase drug use without altering patients' out-of-pocket spending, health plan costs or drug company profits.Serious Gaps Exist in Health Care Quality for America's Childrenurn:uuid:A76245E2-773C-11DC-817C-5BBE38788F352007-10-10T03:00:00Z2007-10-10T03:00:00ZChildren in the United States are not receiving recommended preventive care and screening services, such as regular weight and measurement checks to ensure that they are growing properly and not at risk for obesity; nor are they receiving standard care for conditions such as asthma and diarrhea.Enrollment in SCHIP Improves Low-Income Children's Quality of Lifeurn:uuid:0F55EDFE-5A2C-11DB-A053-CE1F1D4D57CE2007-09-26T03:00:00Z2007-09-26T03:00:00ZChildren newly enrolled in a public health insurance program in California reported improvements such as doing better in school, feeling better physically, and getting along better with their peers.Options to Improve Health Care Access and Quality for Immigrantsurn:uuid:A9E66AE8-5FDE-11DC-9DCD-33C1F7A557C72007-09-11T03:00:00Z2007-09-11T03:00:00ZExpanding opportunities for immigrants to obtain legal residency and citizenship may be the best option to offer them better access to health care. Factors that affect their access to health care include: socioeconomic background, immigration status, limited English proficiency, and more.Why Are Eligible Children Not Enrolled in SCHIP?urn:uuid:063A77EE-5D1F-11DB-BD82-28531D4D57CE2007-08-23T03:00:00Z2007-08-23T03:00:00ZA greater number of eligible children could be enrolled in SCHIP if application processes were simplified and educational outreach efforts were increased. Also, primary care quality could be improved and disparities reduced if policies ensured that children had access to a regular provider when they needed care.Effective State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Policyurn:uuid:5400485E-3600-11DC-966D-64E9D44B69C52007-07-19T03:00:00Z2007-07-19T03:00:00ZIn a policy forum hosted by the Promising Practices Network and Kansas Action for Children, top experts from around the country shared research and practice knowledge related to federal and state SCHIP policy. Video of the event is available online.Prison Health Careurn:uuid:ECA78E46-33AD-11DC-845D-64E9D44B69C52007-07-12T05:03:00Z2007-07-12T05:03:00ZCalifornia's ill and aging prison population needs improved health care – not just as a matter of compassion, but to protect the health and safety of the rest of us, writes Lois M. Davis.Better Access to Family Leave Helps Working Parents of Chronically Ill Childrenurn:uuid:40115C6A-2FC6-11DC-9FA1-64E9D44B69C52007-06-21T03:01:00Z2007-06-21T03:01:00ZWorking parents are more able to care for their chronically ill children when given greater access to federal and employer-provided time off from their jobs.