The Sources of Inefficiency and Reduced Quality of Care

Discuss the sources of inefficiency and reduced quality of care and how to manage them.

Margaret, a 58-year-old woman, begins to experience tremors. She has difficulty keeping her head and hands from shaking. Her primary care physician orders blood tests, a CT scan, and an MRI, which only reveals slight anemia. Finally, after exhausting every possible physical cause of the tremors, the doctor refers her to a psychiatrist, who immediately diagnoses her with generalized anxiety disorder and prescribes a commonly used antianxiety medication. Within weeks, Margaret’s condition improved. Identify the sources of inefficiency and reduced quality of care. Discuss what changes to the health care system could be made to improve the patient’s outcome.