Orthopedic surgeon Alejandro Badia, MD, has called for a reform of the U.S. healthcare system, which he described as a "bureaucratic nightmare" in his book, 'Healthcare from the Trenches,' Miami's Community Newspapers reports.
Published in June, the book details barriers to care from providers' and patients' perspectives.
Rising healthcare costs, lack of patient access and inefficient delivery of care are among the biggest challenges the industry is facing, according to Dr. Badia, founder of Badia Hand to Shoulder Center in Doral, Fla.
He outlines seven key ways to drive change in the U.S. healthcare system:
1. Include providers in the healthcare conversation with politicians, lobbyists and insurance administrators who lack medical training or patient care.
2. Eliminate administrators and payers to create a more efficient healthcare system.
3. Require hospitals and payers to become nonprofit.
4. Promote more all-in-one healthcare facilities to decrease the time for patients to receive test results.
5. Demand increased pricing transparency.
6. Coach physicians to collaborate rather than compete against one another.
7. Educate the public on the inefficiencies of the healthcare system.