This week’s most-read stories by health care leaders focused on the challenges to health care innovation presented by rising rates of chronic diseases and a decision by women’s health companies to support reproductive rights. Peter Orszag said changing business models make this a “wild time” for health care, economists say an overhaul of the health care system could cost jobs while providing a boost overall, and drug companies are beginning to embrace value-based care.
Tsunami of chronic diseases challenges health care innovation
Health care innovation is needed to meet the growing tsunami of chronic diseases, and solving it will require more basic research, different care models and a culture of collaboration, said Dana-Farber Cancer Institute CEO and President Dr. Laurie Glimcher. US leadership in medical innovation is vital, Glimcher said, but funding for research and development is falling.
Full Story: Forbes
7 women’s health companies take stand on reproductive rights
CEOs and founders of seven women’s health companies outlined their opposition to several states’ new restrictive abortion laws in a full-page letter in the New York Times and urged corporate America to join them in supporting reproductive rights. “Today, we loudly and boldly declare that we will not be silent in defense of fundamental human rights and we challenge our peers in the business community to do the same,” the letter said.
Full Story: Forbes
Changing business models make for a “wild time” in health care
Lazard CEO Peter Orszag told CNBC’s Healthy Returns conference that it is a “wild time to be in health care” due to rapidly changing business models driven by the need to compete with nontraditional providers. Jorge Conde of Andreessen Horowitz said health care companies and investors have to deal with the high cost of new treatments, and new payment models will have to offer rewards for treating and curing conditions.
Full Story: CNBC
How a health care overhaul would cut jobs — and help the economy
A major government overhaul of the health care system such as Medicare for All could lead to fewer health care jobs — one estimate puts the loss at 2 million — but some economists and policy experts say it’s time to look beyond the initial transition to the good the change could bring to the US economy. Stanford University economist and physician Dr. Kevin Schulman said focusing on potential losses in health care ignores the painful effects of high medical costs on the rest of the economy.
Full Story: Kaiser Health News
Drugmakers beginning to embrace value-based care
GlaxoSmithKline is among the drugmakers experimenting with value- or outcome-based reimbursement contracts, and GSK President of US Pharmaceuticals Jack Bailey says agreements must be sophisticated but not overly complex. GSK has seven value-based programs for lung drugs and uses a variety of methods to assess outcomes, such as tracking rescue-inhaler use and patient progress between treatment options.
Full Story: Business Insider (subscription required)
Tom Parks is a health editor at SmartBrief who focuses on health care, leadership and nursing as well as care at the beginning and end of life. He launched and edits the SmartBrief for Health Care Leaders newsletter.
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This “most read” feature reflects the most read items in SmartBrief for Health Care Leaders from the previous week. Sign up for SmartBrief for Health Care Leaders to get news like this in your inbox, or check out all of SmartBrief’s health care newsletters, covering health IT, news for insurers, news for providers and more.