What a difference a year makes… or does it?

• 5010 deadlines
• ICD-10 planning
• Meaningful Use stages
• ACO development
• Medicare physician payment reductions
• Healthcare reform lawsuits

As we are poised for 2012 to begin, many of the healthcare related items are still on the drawing board in front of us, some with no more certainty than a year ago. Some have been delayed, others have had final rules promulgated, and still others have been the subject of the “gridlock” that has officially enveloped Washington as the election year approaches.

So what can healthcare organizations and their leaders do?  Well, when it comes to changing the debate on Capitol Hill or in their local state government, regrettably the answer is “not much”. However, what they can focus on and impact is their local marketplace to better meet the healthcare needs of their communities.

Many organizations have moved forward with a number of related initiatives not just because regulations have required them to do so, but because they meet the local concerns around:

1. Healthcare quality and safety initiatives
2. Access to medically essential services
3. Governance challenges to align their physicians in their communities
4. Cost reductions focused on outcomes-based clinical care across the continuum
5. Exchanged electronic information between or among providers
6. Assuring that privacy and security are maintained for their patients and their families

In short, organizations have focused on the right concern for their market and the industry — patients.  Each organization can likely look back on several successes, and perhaps a failure or two. And each can look ahead to a similar degree of uncertainty as 2012 begins with many of the same issues still on the front burner to be redressed.