We had a running joke in my family when our children were younger. I would return home from work and my sons would inquire about my day.
I would start to talk and my boys would stop me:
“Wait! Don’t tell us, Dad. Something new happened in health care today?”
Well, as a matter of fact something new inevitably did happen – in those days and still today. Is there a more dynamic, exasperating, challenging and exciting world than the world of health care? I live and breathe health care. I forever think about health care. My wife Diane says that the dreams that I forget about are probably about health care.
I travel the dense forest of impenetrable health policy tomes. I debate elements of health care reform, draw up hospital quality initiatives, and harangue our elected officials to envision their own lives without health insurance.
Several times each month I will write – in this space – about what I see as I trek from Trenton to Washington and back again in pursuit of health care quality for our state and nation. Sometimes you will get the inside scoop and learn something you did not already know. You will always get “my take.” I intend to release breaking health care news on this site. I think those who care about the world of health care will be interested, informed and, I hope, sometimes amused. If you are, tell me. Provide a comment. If you are not, tell me. Provide a comment. I want to have a dialogue with you. I expect to be just as interested in your thoughts as you are in mine.
For lengthy, carefully crafted White Papers turn to our website – www.njhcqi.org. You won’t get that here. On KnowltonKnotes, you get the first draft. You get my opinion – my cut-to-the-chase views on health care issues. Perhaps you will disagree, or decide to add your own perspective. I encourage the conversation. Social media gives us all a chance to connect as never before, and I would like to learn about your neck of the woods.
Our organization, impartial and non-partisan, works to improve patient safety and quality of care. We don’t work for hospitals, or government, or doctors, or nurses, or surgery centers or pharmaceutical companies. We work to make sure the voices of consumers are heard when important decisions are made. Our responsibility is to the patients who lie down on the surgery table, or unfurl their arms for injections, or take their pills – anyone who puts their trust in our medical system.
As we move forward in an ever-changing health care environment the quality institute works to give consumers a seat at the table. Sit down and join us.
