When Dottie Phillips, the healthy 85-year-old mother-in-law of one of us (Amy), broke her elbow, the orthopedist did a wonderful job surgically repairing the injury. Unfortunately, Dottie developed pneumonia in the hospital during her recovery, requiring powerful antibiotics. These led to a subsequent Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection, which produced debilitating diarrhea. Her prolonged hospital stay caused her to become frail, so she was discharged to a rehab facility with an entirely new care team.
The primary objective of our health care system is to ensure that quality health care is readily accessible for patients. However, as health care becomes increasingly entangled in a web of networks, insurers, and providers, the patient’s best interest can get lost.
