医改要向整容业学习

    比如，牙齿美白和化学蜕皮术等微创治疗基本都是由护士和理疗师来完成的。内科医生也不必非得是住院持照整形外科医生才能进行人造下巴手术。而妇产科医生正在成为腹部拉皮术的专家。

    而医生们也在推销更先进的改良手术来获得溢价。比如准分子激光（Lasik）眼科手术。1999年每只眼睛的基本手术费是2,100美元。到了2011年，这个价格已经跌去18%，变成1,630美元。于是眼科医生又开发了波前像差引导个性化切削术（Custom Wavefront）。这种激光手术能更好地适应病人的个性化特点，准确贴合病人的眼球形状进行。

    波前像差引导个性化切削术每只眼睛的尊享费用是2,151美元——基本上和准分子激光二十年前的价格水平相当。随着这种个性化手术的普及，很可能它的价格也会随着竞争加剧而走低，就像当初的准分子激光的情况一样。在眼科领域，很明显新技术加上充分的竞争会带来合理甚至是不断下降的价格，但仍能让医生有充分的动力通过创新获得暂时的溢价。

    市场力量在医疗领域也是管用的。一面大手大脚地位需求提供资助，一面束缚供应，这种管理办法不能解决问题。是时候学学整容手术的经验了：消费者越是多花自己的钱，医疗保健就会变得越高效。（财富中文网）

    译者：清远

    For example, nurses and aestheticians perform many of the minimally invasive treatments, including teeth-whitening and chemical peels. Physicians don't need to be board certified plastic surgeons to do chin implants. And OB/GYNs are becoming experts in tummy tucks.

    Doctors are also touting enhanced and advanced procedures to garner premium prices. A case in point is Lasik eye surgery. The going rate for basic Lasik was $2,100 per eye in 1999. By 2011, the price had dropped 18% to $1,630. So ophthalmologists developed Custom Wavefront, a laser procedure that better customizes the surgery to the exact shape of the patient's eye.

    Custom Wavefront commands a premium price of $2,151 per eye –– about the same rate standard Lasik cost over two decades ago. As Wavefront grows in popularity, it's likely that competition will hold down its price, just as it did for basic Lasik. In eye care, it's clear that new technology coupled with stiff competition leads to reasonable, and even declining prices, but still gives doctors an incentive to get at least a temporary premium through innovation.

    The market will work in medicine. Rules that lavishly subsidize demand and at the same time shackle supply are not the answer. Follow the lessons from facelifts and tummy tucks: The more consumers spend their own money, the more efficient health care will become.