Booz Allen Surveys Consumer, Provider Sentiment on Healthcare’s Future; Grant McLaughlin Comments

A new Booz Allen Hamilton study has identified control of costs as among the top emerging trends in U.S. healthcare.

The poll noted several differences between patient and provider sentiment on the future of the industry, but it also revealed agreement from both sides on certain aspects of access and delivery, Booz Allen said Wednesday.

Booz Allen conducted the survey in collaboration with Ipsos Public Affairs and found one out of three consumers and administrators see healthcare as accomplishing its goal to provide cost-effective patient care.

“What we found illustrates that both common ground and major gaps exist, calling for further examination,” said Grant McLaughlin, a Booz Allen vice president.

“We’ll conduct the survey annually to stay abreast of these trends.”

All providers agreed that cutting down costs is imperative and identified the use of tort reform, strengthened prevention efforts and technologies and new approaches to medicine among several avenues to do it, the survey says.