In this lucidly presented and forward-looking book, the author proposes a needed and workable solution to the challenge of providing affordable health care for all Americans. Margolis takes a fresh look at the healthcare system from the perspective of various industry participants, to reveal how the system can be adjusted to produce better results by combining information technology with the right incentives. Drawing on real-world examples from other industries such as retail and automotive that consumers can understand, Margolis describes how a better system can be designed and is in fact within our grasp. As both a healthcare executive and a healthcare consumer living with a severe chronic illness, Margolis offers a unique perspective that combines both management and consumer viewpoints. He understands health care and is able to evaluate it from the outside and inside as an overall system. His vision for health care is called Integrated Healthcare Management (IHM) and it employs a systems science approach to optimize the coordination of benefits and care to ultimately provide more value for every healthcare dollar spent. IHM is practical because it builds upon our healthcare model today and describes specific steps to create the system of tomorrow-affordably and sustainably. Both professionals working in health care and members of the public interested in a healthcare solution will find the insights in this book informative and useful.
