Consumer-Oriented and Consumer-Directed Health Care

Purpose

This evidence-based review of the literature was supported by a grant from the National Council on Disability. Social trends have created new opportunities for consumer-oriented health care innovations for individuals with disabilities. The disability rights movement has created new recognition of rights and capacities of individuals with disabilities. The health care reform movement has created opportunities for consumers and others to address system shortcomings. Together, these trends have engendered many small demonstration or pilot efforts. These efforts have not been systematically reviewed: thus, successful strategies may fade while ineffective approaches survive. HDWG conducted a systematic review to produce findings and recommendations to guide future improvement efforts.

Objectives

Primary objectives were to:

1. Establish a comprehensive knowledge base concerning evidence-based and promising consumer-directed and oriented reform strategies.
2. Review and synthesize evaluation studies, highlighting outcomes studies;
3. Develop findings and recommendations on strategies shown to improve outcomes and enhance care.

Activities

We researched peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed literature and interviewed 45 key informants on health care reform efforts.

Products

Report published in 2004 by the National Council on Disability: Consumer-directed Health Care: How well does it work?

Project Staff: Carol Tobias and Deborah Allen, co-Investigators; Kate Brown, Project Director; Kate Tierney, Sarah DuRei and Regina Murphy, Research Assistants.

This evidence-based review of the literature was supported by a grant from the National Council on Disability.