Eldercide will surely become an election issue. Just look at the voting pool. 77 million baby boomers, that grew up expecting the best of everything, turned 60 in 2006. If the nursing home industry does not change they can only expect the worst. 36 million people have joined AARP because they want bargaining power. 1.7 million people are already institutionalized in nursing homes and are facing extinction. Millions more will have to face the possibility of one day joining the list of system victims. Every American has a personal, vested interest in changing this struggling industry. Without a comprehensive overhaul the current health care system will be bankrupt in 2010 with the cost exceeding $4 trillion dollars annually or 36% of the GNP. 6% of those costs are funding the nursing home industry. That means that unless we make a change we will spend 960 billion dollars, in four years, to fund a system that kills its patients and bankrupts itself and its operators. This book details three prevailing principles that makes this problem solvable:
Embrace the restorative care model
Use computer technology and case management to customize care plans for each patient
Pay for performance based on outcomes attained.