September, 2018, Vol. 2 - In This Issue:
I keep coming back to the fact that trust is the key to so many of our healthcare policy and market challenges. Media loves conflict, and the constant cycle of finger-pointing about who's to blame for our over-priced healthcare distracts us from the real issue: the patient is losing (and has the most to lose) in this fight. Caught in the crossfire of blame, false promises, shifting policies and costs, patients have to navigate episodic, emergent and chronic healthcare scenarios without a trustworthy guide, set of facts or safety net. Ask patients in any community with real-world, lived experience and they'll speak the truth: everyone is part of the problem, and everyone can contribute to the solution.

Wouldn't it be refreshing to see payers, hospitals, biotechnology and IT companies, providers and patient groups come to the table willing to acknowledge their role in the mess, and to put real solutions forward? Ultimately, each stakeholder may have to give something up to gain real improvements in the healthcare system for the people that matter most. Compromise starts with trust between all affected parties and the willingness to put community before individual.
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New toolkit to Prepare Patient Stakeholders to Work with Research Teams

Patient engagement in research has become increasingly prioritized in recent years, as patients can provide unique and valuable feedback to researchers on the design, implementation, and dissemination of studies from the perspective of people the research seeks to help. However, researchers often lack the tools to effectively engage patient advisors in the research process.

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Robin Berzin, a medical intern, remembers frantically printing out pages upon pages of prescriptions for one of her patients, each of which she needed to sign, while writing up doctor referrals. That's when she realized: "Wow, this system is so broken." She had just 15 minutes with her patients to check vital signs, talk to them about their problems, determine what was wrong with them, dole out prescriptions, and hand them off to specialists

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In today's data-accessible age, a focus on people-first healthcare drives quality, customer satisfaction  


The healthcare industry is having an important debate about data - how it is generated, who owns it, how it is used and how much control people should have over their personal information. Used responsibly, data can help drive important transformations in prevention, treatment, patient education and more. But as we develop ethical applications for leveraging big data in healthcare, we cannot lose sight of the human element of our work to enhance the patient experience.

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Behind Your Rising Health-Care Bills: Secret Hospital Deals That Squelch Competition

Last year, Cigna Corp. and the New York hospital system Northwell Health discussed developing an insurance plan that would offer low-cost coverage by excluding some other health-care providers, according to people with knowledge of the matter. It never happened.

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Invest in "Precision Health" to Better Care for High-Need, High-Cost Patients, AJMC Researchers Say

Any discussion involving "precision" in healthcare typically revolves around the use of precision medicine based on a patient's genetic profile. However, in a commentary in the September issue of The American Journal of Managed Care®, authors Dhruv Khullar, MD, MPP, and Rainu Kaushal, MD, MPH, say there's a different way that precision can be employed to better care for high-need, high-cost (HNHC) patients.
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'First of its kind' hospital-led generic drug company Civica Rx aims to address shortages, high prices

Some of the largest providers in the U.S. have officially joined forces to launch a nonprofit generic drug company. 
Civica Rx was formally established Thursday after it first announced in January. The idea,  which was spearheaded by Intermountain Healthcare, drew plenty of interest from hospitals and health systems; more than 120 healthcare organizations-including one-third of U.S. hospitals-have signed on. 


Passion + Quality = Change That Matters
  
I embrace the powerful opportunities in our evolving health care landscape. I founded Momentum Health Strategies to be a catalyst for change through continuous learning, diverse engagement and thoughtful policy and practice initiatives. I deliver innovative, strategic thinking and a passion for improving the patient experience. My personal drive and dedication to high-quality results will help you navigate the competitive terrain you face and convert your vision to action.

Momentum Health Strategies

Jennifer L Bright, MPA
(703) 628 - 0534