Lower costs, higher quality

Sun., July 8, 2012

I would like to comment on your June 29 editorial, “Cost-control must be next in reforming health care.” While I fully agree with you that “revision not repeal is the best way forward,” I think that the June 24 guest column by Scott Armstrong, “Health innovation region’s hallmark,” made it more clear how savings can be achieved in the health care arena.

In that column, higher quality is paradoxically linked to lower cost. But think about it: If a doctor has more information about his patients, he can increase the quality of his service by making preventive care recommendations, avoiding hospitalizations and possibly emergency visits.

While “being surgical about spending” can sound scary, lowering the cost through higher quality could be a slogan that on the local, state and national level will motivate cooperation.

Peter C. Dolina

Veradale

Letters policy

The Spokesman-Review invites original letters on local topics of public interest. Your letter must adhere to the following rules:

No more than 250 words
We reserve the right to reject letters that are not factually correct, racist or are written with malice.
We cannot accept more than one letter a month from the same writer.
With each letter, include your daytime phone number and street address.
The Spokesman-Review retains the nonexclusive right to archive and re-publish any material submitted for publication.

Unfortunately, we don’t have space to publish all letters received, nor are we able to acknowledge their receipt. (Learn more.)

Submit letters using any of the following:

Our online form: Submit your letter here
Mail: Letters to the Editor
The Spokesman-Review
999 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
Email: editor@spokesman.com
Fax: (509) 459-3815
Phone: (509) 459-5430