The Learning Health System

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There's a big difference between going into the doctor for a blood test. or going into your primary care physician for a sprained ankle or broken finger versus going into a surgery center for a hip replacement. Sepsis really isn't one diagnosis, how can we learn more about that? We are beginning to see the rewards of investing in digitizing all of our health data in hospitals through these electronic medical records.

Physician and author Vivian Lee talks about her book The Long Fix with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Lee argues that we can transform health care in the United States, though it may take a while. She argues that the current fee-for-service system incentivizes doctors to provide services rather than keep patients healthy and that these are not the same thing. Topics explored include innovations in Medicare and in technology that might change treatment incentives as well as the weird world of health care pricing.