Communicating a 21st Century Intelligent Health System and Principles of Transformation Through Out the State of Georgia

A critical step in transforming the current health system is communicating the vision of that future health system and providing community leaders with the principles of transformation necessary to realize that future. Newt and the CHT team communicate the vision and principles of transformation through speeches and presentations, meetings and seminars, participation on task forces and hearings, as well as through print and other media in Georgia.

Defining the Vision: A 21st Century Intelligent Health and Healthcare System:

The Center for Health Transformation envisions a 21st Century Intelligent Health and Healthcare System that will draw upon the advances in technology and communications which have helped drive down the costs of products and services in other sectors of the economy, such as with cell phones, airline tickets and worldwide package delivery services. We use the term ‘intelligent’ to reflect the commonsense improvements essential to every stakeholder’s capacity to interact with the health system on a meaningful level. The U.S. health system must address the needs of individuals, of doctors, of hospitals and of the entire extended healthcare community, including long-term care facilities, nursing homes, pharmacies and home health agents – connectivity and real-time data sharing between all sectors of the health system is fundamental to a workable 21st century health system. In an Intelligent Health System, the individual is the center of knowledge, decision-making and responsibility for their own health. Knowledge of health and knowledge of finances are available in the most accurate, least expensive and most convenient manner possible. Individuals are provided with accurate, timely knowledge of their health needs, access to the best information about how to maintain their health (and systems which encourage sound health management), knowledge of who and where to go if they have health needs, an assurance that their health providers will be using best practices based on the most recent understanding of outcomes-based medicine.

Principles of Transformation Include:

• A RIGHT vision
• Real change requires real change
• Focus on solutions, not problems
• Yes, if…” not “No, because…”
• Cheerful persistence

More information on leading transformation is available in The Art of Transformation by Newt Gingrich and Nancy Desmond.