Cost-Effectiveness: From Genes to Healthcare System Reform

British health economist James Buchanan D.Phil. is skeptical that Geisinger Health System’s (Pa.) genomics project will prove to be cost-effective. But what about the cost-effectiveness of the whole U.S. health system? As a physician and resident of the southern reaches of Geisinger Health System’s catchment area in central Pennsylvania, I was intrigued by Dr. Buchanan’s … Continue reading Cost-Effectiveness: From Genes to Healthcare System Reform →

Response to Peter Orszag: Efficiency Is Not Enough!

Economist Peter Orszag, who blogs regularly on the economics of healthcare, recently highlighted a survey of healthcare CEOs conducted by his firm Lazard. The survey showed that these CEOs see that “Healthcare is reforming, just not in Washington.” Business (small and large) is rightly fed up with Washington’s petty partisan tinkering with the healthcare system. … Continue reading Response to Peter Orszag: Efficiency Is Not Enough! →

Private Sector, not Public Policy, Holds the Key to Healthcare Reform — Really?…

Christopher Helmrath, MBA “The Private Sector, not Public Policy, Holds the Key to Better Healthcare" featuring Christopher Helmrath MBA turned out to be as much an infomercial for his investment firm as a discussion of healthcare reform in America. I do not dispute Mr. Helmrath’s investment tip that healthcare is a “good bet.” And I … Continue reading Private Sector, not Public Policy, Holds the Key to Healthcare Reform — Really?… →

Navigating Payment Reform – NEJM Catalyst

Harvard Business School and New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst group convened a webinar on “Navigating Payment Reform for Providers, Payers & Pharma” on November 2. Presenters admirably fulfilled Dr. Dafny’s challenge as convener to be transparent about goals, attuned to new ideas, open to trade-offs, and unafraid of failure. From the perspective of General Systems … Continue reading Navigating Payment Reform – NEJM Catalyst →

Will These Ideas Fix U.S. Healthcare?

Almost everyone agrees that the U.S. healthcare system needs to be fixed. For example, each of the 2016 Presidential candidates promised to fix it. Now that the election is over, heated debate continues over 2 basic questions: What, exactly, is the problem? How, then, should it be fixed? My answer to the first question is: … Continue reading Will These Ideas Fix U.S. Healthcare? →