Link Between Influx of Baby Boomers, Health Care Quality Discussed at New Jersey Conference

Although the influx of aging baby boomers will "force the [health care] system to cater more to their demands," it is unclear whether higher-quality health care will result, according to experts at an Oct. 23 conference at the Somerville, N.J.-based Somerset Medical Center, the Newark Star-Ledger reports. Speaking at the conference, "Consumer-Driven Health Care: The Next Wave," Regina Herzlinger, a Harvard University business professor and author of a book on market-driven health care, predicted that providers eventually will alter the way they care for patients based on consumers' demands, which will result in better care and a more cost-effective system. She said, "Consumers are victims of Model T-type health insurance. You're going to see a very different health insurance system very soon." However, David Swee, chair of the Medical Society of New Jersey's council on medical services, disagreed, saying, "There is no system to reward quality, as much as we talk about it." Conference participants, including providers, hospital administrators, health advocates and representatives from the insurance industry, also discussed the quality of available consumer health information, the Star-Ledger reports (Stewart, Newark Star-Ledger, 10/24).