Involving Clinicians in Payment and Delivery Reform: The Role of Social Media and MOOCs

Health care reform generally involves three goals: better access to care, cost reduction, and improving the quality and outcomes of health care. Though attempts by policymakers and payers to change the system are often met with suspicion, surveys find Americans have high levels of trust in doctors and clinicians. Even though they are trusted and at the front lines, many clinicians still feel unprepared and uneducated about health economics, delivery systems, and reform.

On February 19, The Brookings Institution launched a collaboration between the Khan Academy and the Richard Merkin Initiative at the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform and explained its innovative programs to involve clinicians at all levels to improve payment and delivery of health care. A group of national leaders in physician training, education, policy, media, and research came together to explore how to best involve clinicians in health reform. Brookings also formally launched a groundbreaking partnership using massive open online courses, or MOOCs, with the Khan Academy—which has collectively delivered over 300 million lessons worldwide—and other groups, to inspire a new generation of physician leaders.