Intel Chairman Calls on Employers to Transform Healthcare System

Intel Chairman Calls on Employers to Transform Healthcare System

Intel Chairman Craig Barrett, speaking at the eHealth Initiative’s Health Information Technology Summit, urged a dramatic change in the way the nation administers healthcare. Barrett called for employers to exercise their influence as the largest purchasers of healthcare to drive improvements in care delivery, reducing costs and improving quality.

“The current healthcare system is economically unsustainable and negatively impacting our nation’s ability to compete globally,” said Barrett, also a member of the United States Health and Human Services’ American Health Information Community. “It’s time for a systemic transformation, and U.S. employers must lead.”

In 2004, total U.S. health expenditures rose 7.9 percent – more than three times the rate of inflation. Total spending was $1.9 trillion in 2004, or $6,280 per person, and is expected to increase to $4 trillion, or 20 percent of the gross domestic product in 2015. This explosion in healthcare costs is affecting U.S. competitiveness and the stability of corporations throughout the country.

Barrett urged stakeholders to consider a different approach to address healthcare’s rising costs. “Part of the reason no large-scale solution exists is that we have been distracted by the debate of ‘who pays,’” said Barrett. “Our focus should be on achieving higher quality healthcare at a reduced cost.”

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