A community quality initiative for health care reform

In 1989, the Madison Area Employers Health Care Coalition conducted a feasibility study for the purpose of finding solutions to common health care concerns. The study revealed three conclusions: (1) there was little or no price competition among providers; (2) employers lacked useful data and information regarding health care costs and outcomes; and (3) employers and employees lacked basic health care consumerism. These conclusions led to the development of a health care purchasing group in the spring of 1990 with the formation of the Employers Health Care Alliance Cooperative (The Alliance). The conclusions outlined above became the cornerstone of the services offered by The Alliance, which include provider contracting, data collection, and consumer education and advocacy. The Alliance also developed the community quality initiative, a partnership of employers, health care consumers, and providers committed to using continuous quality improvement methods.