ABSTRACT
While American healthcare has achieved amazing breakthroughs in some areas, it is failing in many aspects and is not delivering population health, both objectively, and in comparison to other developed countries. The care of patients is often fragmented due to lack of a primary care physician, use of emergency departments for care amenable to ambulatory care, and inadequate communication between providers and systems of care. The fragmentation and complexity are compounded by myriad insurance coverages, all with different benefits and rules. Within America, there is considerable variability in coverage, access, and outcome by race, socioeconomic group, and geography. African Americans, Native Americans/Alaskan Natives, and Hispanics are less likely to have insurance coverage, and they attain lower health status and poorer outcomes. The Denver Health experience could be an example of both the financial and healthcare outcomes that result from a high percentage of women in the C-suite.
