Defining the Times

2007 Spring Dialogues

The HHS Agenda
Admiral John O. Agwunobi, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Acknowledging the major challenges in American health care today, Dr. Agwunobi described the vision of HHS for the future of health care:

Health IT: The federal government is in the process of defining a set of standards for health IT;
Transparency: Patients and providers should have equal access to information about cost and quality of care so that patients can make informed, value-driven choices;
Personal health care: Genetic diagnostic tests will determine what illnesses each person will be predisposed to in the future. These diagnostics will facilitate the development of personalized health interventions and enable individuals to be targeted for enrollment in clinical trials;
Affordable choices: The Affordable Choices Grant will enable governors to develop innovative programs, plans, and designs at the state level. Through these grants, best practices will emerge as governors learn from their mistakes; and
Academic health centers: Academic health centers will provide the leadership to make major health care changes possible.