HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt to Discuss Driving Value in Health Care

Will Address Stakeholders, Students at Northwestern Memorial Hospital Speech

WASHINGTON, April 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

WHO: HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt

WHEN: Thursday, May 1, 2008
Secretary's Address at 11:30 a.m.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY at 12:30 p.m.

WHERE: Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Prentice Women's Hospital
250 East Superior Street, Third Floor
Chicago, Illinois

CONTACT: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343

BACKGROUND: In his remarks, Secretary Leavitt will provide a broad summary of the progress made in the Value-Driven Health Care initiative, as well as his vision for its future direction and strategy.

The initiative is a foundation-building effort based on the goal that every American have access to a full range of information about the quality and cost of their health care options. It is a starting point for a vision that involves thousands of players -- including government, payers, providers, plans and consumers -- with widely different interests. Achieving success in building a health care system based on value depends on a common understanding of the need and the goals, and on a continuing effort to increase efficiency and maintain trust.

The four cornerstones of value-driven health care include:

-- Adopt interoperable health information technology;
-- Measure and publish quality information so that consumers can make
better-informed decisions about their health care providers and
treatment options;
-- Measure and publish price information about health care procedures;
and
-- Promote quality and efficiency of care by rewarding those who provide,
pay for and consume high-quality, competitive-priced health care.

For more information, visit www.hhs.gov/valuedriven.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

CONTACT: HHS Press Office, +1-202-690-6343

Web Site: http://www.hhs.gov/

2008-04-28 17:28:25 0346973 PRNEWSWIRE