Riddles in Accountable Healthcare: A Primer to develop analytic intuition for medical homes and population health

In the ever-changing world of health care policy, measurable improvements are more important than ever—and predictable, intuitive results are the goal. But when it comes to accountable health care, data analysis can yield unexpected answers, sometimes even proving counterintuitive to practices that seemed to make sense at the time. For that reason, developing proper analytic skills can seem like a comedy of errors, requiring patience and willingness to learn from your mistakes. Erroneous guidelines, puzzling policies, and baffling data have all been put forth in the name of improving patients’ health outcomes—some since debunked, and others proven surprisingly effective. In Riddles in Accountable Health Care, experienced physician Eran Bellin takes readers on a fun and fascinating romp through these complex issues in the world of health care, answering questions whose answers may seem obvious, but upon analysis can yield some paradoxical results. In the vein of Freakonomics and The Tipping Point, Riddles in Accountable Health Care provides an educational and thoroughly entertaining look at a subject sometimes fraught with overwhelming details—and guides health care professionals, med students, and the public alike toward a whole new way of thinking about data analysis.