hyperlink to full article under “In The News”)

The full report released May 2003 and published in Health Affairs, was led by Gerard Anderson, PhD who is the Director of the Center for Hospital Finance and Management. They found that the U.S. spends 44% more than other industrialized countries. 

Cameric Global Health Services is not hospital-sponsored, but patient-focused. We represent the patient and the patient’s family in all aspects of the care process.  Rates are negotiated on behalf of the patient rather than the hospital. Most hospital-sponsored programs offer little, if any, discount because of their natural bias and conflict of interests.  Cameric is the patient’s advocate. Its patient-centered approach to health finances reduces costs to a more competitive worldwide rate while providing the latest technologies that may be unavailable locally or difficult to access.

Cameric Offers Sizable Advantages

Continued from page 1

insufficient coordination of care, and medical errors.

Patients with chronic health problems or recent hospital or surgical experiences are usually cared for by several different physicians, and are therefore at risk for breakdowns in care coordination.  As patients moved through the care delivery process, they found themselves repeating their health story to multiple health professionals because medical records or test results did not arrive in time for the appointment.  In some instances, tests or procedures were repeated. 

Cameric tackles care coordination and efficiency issues with its initial needs assessment and active care oversight used in its case management approaches.  Prior to the first office consultation or any travel arrangements occurring, Cameric obtains all existing records and uses an extensive physician-

based review process to determine the appropriate type of specialist and needed tests.  Dead time and lags between the patient’s arrival in the U.S. for specialist consultation are eliminated.  The decrease in the number of office visits and, elimination of duplicate testing, effective use of time for care translate into savings on personal costs as well as health care costs. 

Patient doctor communication gaps directly affect the use (or misuse) of prescription drugs, a patient’s willingness to follow through on recommended ongoing treatment, and lifestyle or other changes.  When care is patient-centered with treatment goals clearly communicated, the potential for improving care is enhanced. In all countries a significant portion (on the average about 20%) of patients left the doctor’s office without getting their important questions answered.

Considerable emotional strain exists and is predictable when there is a serious or chronic illness.  Listening to health concerns, being treated with dignity and respect, spending enough time with the patient, diagnosing the problem correctly and addressing the emotional challenges posed by the illness are all components of quality of care issues. They relate to patient doctor communication and its contribution to positive health outcomes. 

In its role as patient advocate, Cameric accompanies the patient and family to appointments, ensures that all questions, concerns and appropriate expectations of results are discussed in clear and easily understood terms. The rocky road of challenges brought on by being in a foreign environment and not possessing personal expertise in medicine are eliminated. A new experience in patient-doctor interactions and positive results in every portion of the medical treatment process are what all the experts see as major aspects of quality improvement. Tracking systems, sharing or medical records, and care coordination are all strategies Cameric has in place because of its Mission, Values and Philosophies (see these headings http://www.camericglobal.com/about.html.

(For full article, follow Health Affairs hyperlink within Johns Hopkins article previously referenced.)

Click Here for Page3