News / Shared Challenges

'The economic downturn has put healthcare providers under intense pressure. At the same time, healthcare reform legislation can make radical changes in how much providers are paid. In response innovative providers are changing the structure and the process of healthcare delivery to succeed in this new reality.’

Alongside suggestions of moves in England towards system-wide incentives and calls for changes to the current payment by results system (see above), this could be an assessment of the pressures facing NHS trusts and foundation trusts. However, it is how chairman elect of the US HFMA Debora Kuchka-Craig introduced a session on the challenges facing the US healthcare system at the US association’s annual national institute (ANI).

HFMA UK chairman Bill Shields (pictured above) and chief executive Mark Knight represented the UK finance profession at the conference in Seattle in June, which attracted 4,000 delegates and visitors.

Former US vice president Al Gore provided the keynote speech. In his address Mr Shields described the big improvements in NHS healthcare in recent years, including the maximum 18-week elective wait, the four-hour limit in accident and emergency and key improvements in quality.

He said the US and UK faced similar challenges. ‘Our systems may call for very different solutions, but we must not lose the opportunity to learn from each other at such an important time,’ he said.