Investment in prevention and access are essential to our society's health and wellness. Ironically, I've noticed growing obsession with new technologies - telemedicine, big data solutions, diagnostics and genetic testing, precision medicine - that outpaces investment in evidence-based practices like vaccination, stewardship, and integrated primary care services that address social and health factors. Innovation is important. But the "sweet spot" for policymakers should be the ability to balance speculation in "new and improved" approaches to health with serious investment in implementing the prevention strategies that research demonstrates are effective. Such balance is vital to maximum public value that doesn't break the bank or waste precious resources. I ponder whether we have equilibrium when I read about federal investment in new technology (Zika vaccine) and the millions invested in new apps designed to "improve care and patient satisfaction," while we're still fighting about basic health care access, vaccination policy, and public health resources to combat an epidemic in substance abuse. Innovation shouldn't be a distraction from the fundamentals and both deserve vigorous investment of time, discussion and resources.
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