Educating patients, (a.k.a. “consumers”), to make the “best” health care choices has been a fundamental principle in some health reforms schools, including those advocating for more high-deductible health plans. While this concept makes sense in economic theories, it also requires belief that patients can and will make good use of the information available to them – particularly when they are ill.
Another fundamental necessity for making such consumer-directed healthcare work to improve quality and lower costs is that the information provided to people is meaningful and accurate. A study published in the November/December 2008 issue of Health Affairs illustrates the complexity of providing accurate information.…