Grove: From Intel to health care and beyond

Andy Grove urges the health care industry to adopt some of the same practices as the microchip industry.
The New York Times

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Practice of Medicine: Still in the Feudal Period

The Industry Revolution has never come to the Practice of Medicine. It still relies on a protectionist federation of independent artisans with limited control of process technology and few process standards. There is limited concern for the customer, patient, but a great concern for the practice and protectionalism with the largest lobbyist group in the world.

Until the concepts and practices of the modern service practices come to medicine, there is limited hope that it will ever improve. Like the feudal days, there are some outstanding artisans and practicioners, but the overall average quality and performance is extremely low for the price we pay.

To improve the practice, the processes must be defined, the controls put in place, and information sharing improved. In terns of a capability maturity model (CMM) medicine is still undocumented and based on heroic effort. We need to get to a learning and optimizing process before it will drastically improve for everyone.

With our current evironment, this will not likely happen. The industry is controlled by lawyers and financial people. With their self interest, they will fight process improvement and competition.

Practice of Medicine: Still in the Feudal Period

The Industry Revolution has never come to the Practice of Medicine. It still relies on a protectionist federation of independent artisans with limited control of process technology and few process standards. There is limited concern for the customer, patient, but a great concern for the practice and protectionalism with the largest lobbyist group in the world.

Until the concepts and practices of the modern service practices come to medicine, there is limited hope that it will ever improve. Like the feudal days, there are some outstanding artisans and practicioners, but the overall average quality and performance is extremely low for the price we pay.

To improve the practice, the processes must be defined, the controls put in place, and information sharing improved. In terns of a capability maturity model (CMM) medicine is still undocumented and based on heroic effort. We need to get to a learning and optimizing process before it will drastically improve for everyone.

With our current evironment, this will not likely happen. The industry is controlled by lawyers and financial people. With their self interest, they will fight process improvement and competition.