"Follow the Money" might seem like an insulting and impetuous title for this journal. If nurses and nurse leaders do not understand how the money will flow in health care reform, we may not be able to develop an excellent clinical model that will be financially sustainable. Health care reform has proclaimed to align financial incentives with quality outcomes, focus on patient-centered coordinated care, and emphasize outpatient health management. I heard a statement that characterizes our major shift from an illness care system to a wellness care system.
"If we have to admit a patient to the hospital, we have failed!!"
That got my attention. I hope it gets your attention, too.
Today we have a foot in the illness system and a toe in the reform system. As leaders, we are responsible to communicate the tenets of reform with our staff so they understand the next 10 years of significant changes. We also will need to collaborate with other clinical disciplines to develop the new wellness model of care and have it ready to implement in the 2014 time frame. Between now and then, transitions of components of our current model will occur. These multiple transitions could cause chaos, confusion, and concern for all professionals.
Nursing leaders must stay strong, keep their eye on the future state, help staff focus on excellent quality of care, and know "when to flip the switch" to the new model of care.
Being nimble and courageous, while coaching and supporting staff through change, will be our primary function through 2019.
It is an exciting time in health care for very courageous nurse leaders!!
-Rhonda Anderson, RN, DNSc, FAAN, FACHE
Chief Executive Officer Cardon Children's Medical Center Mesa, AZ