Prevention Matters

Just one day after announced that a ban on smoking in Seattle city parks would take effect April 1, the city's parks superintendent has relaxed that ban. Superintendent Timothy Gallagher said the revised rule will only prohibit "smoking, chewing or other tobacco use" within 25 feet of other park patrons.

The 25-foot rule is what the Board of Park Commissioners had recommended. Gallagher said he's decided that a gradual approach to a smoking ban is more reasonable.

Dr. Gary Kaplan, Chairman and CEO of Virginia Mason Health System in Seattle, offers a revealing insight over at The HealthCare Blog about the perverse effects of incentives that are currently built into the U.S. health care payment system.

"At Virginia Mason, our work with employers, like Starbucks, Costco, Boeing and Microsoft, is yielding dramatic reductions in costs for those paying the bills; and better care, quicker return to work and more satisfaction for our patients. We, unfortunately, in the current payment system, reduce our profitability by doing the right thing. Despite my very supportive board of directors, they will not allow me to lead our organization into bankruptcy by doing the right thing. We need to change our payment system if we truly want to ensure universal coverage, improve quality and reduce cost."

Kaplan recently helped launch Health CEOs for Health Reform, a coalition dedicated to transforming health care and creating a more sustainable health system.