Survey Results
 
 
 

 
 

Survey on Health Care System

Methodology

The World Health Care Congress partnered with Harris Interactive to conduct this poll of attendees of the World Health Care Congress. The results are based on 106 interviews that were conducted online by sending an email invitation to all attendees for whom the WHCC had an email address. The invitation contained a link that sent attendees to a website where they were able to take the survey.

Some Key Findings

The three biggest threats to the organizations attending the
Congress are perceived to be:

  • The rate of increase of health care spending
  • The erosion of employer-provided insurance
  • The increasing numbers of uninsured and underinsured

The most significant opportunities for attendees are thought to be:

  • The adoption of information technology
  • The evolution of employer-provided insurance
  • Increasing prevalence of chronic medical conditions
  • Rate of increase in health care spending

On balance (using median responses) most attendees expect that in the next ten years:

  • The number of uninsured will increase to 18% of the population
  • Health care spending will increase to 18% of GDP
  • The number of insured employees will fall from 67% to 55%
  • Out-of-pocket spending will increase from 17% to 25% of all health care costs
  • The proportion of Medicare beneficiaries insured by the private sector will increase from 12% to 16%

Majorities also anticipate that:

  • The proportion of hospital bed provided by investor-owned hospital will rise
  • The proportion of health insurance provided by investor-owned companies will rise
  • Tiering of the system will increase

Large numbers of attendees see many ways to contain costs which are both desirable and effective. Their priorities for cost containment are:

  • Improving quality of care through IT, practice guidelines and other proposals made by the I.O.M.
  • Increasing the efficiency of providers
  • Disease management programs
  • Having a really competitive market
  • Reducing administrative costs of the reimbursement system

The overwhelming majority believes that maintaining the current system with its great price differential for pharmaceuticals between the U.S. and Canada or Europe is unsustainable.

ORGANIZATION THAT YOU REPRESENT OR WORK FOR

“Which of the following best describes the organization that you represent or work for?"

BIGGEST THREAT OVER NEXT 2 TO 5 YEARS

“Looking ahead to the next 2 to 5 years, which two do you think are the most serious threats to your sector of the health care industry?”

MOST SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES

“Which two of these do you think are the most significant opportunities for your sector of the health care industry?”

SOME HOPES, FEARS AND EXPECTATIONS ON KEY MEASURES

“Please note for each of the following what you would like it to be in ten years and what you think it will be in ten years.”

SOME MORE HOPES

“Please note for each of the following what you would like it to be in ten years.”

SOME MORE EXPECTATIONS

“Please note for each of the following what you think it will be in ten years.”

ARE U.S. PREMIUM DRUG PRICES SUSTAINABLE?

“Looking ahead ten years, do you think it will be possible to sustain a system in which the price differential for pharmaceuticals between the U.S., Canada and Europe is as great as it is today?”

EFFECTIVE AND DESIRABLE WAYS TO CONTAIN COSTS

“Which of the following do you think are both effective and desirable ways of containing health care costs?”

TWO BEST WAYS TO CONTAIN COSTS

“And which two of them would be your top two priorities?”