In This November 15, 2011 Healthcare Issue of Speaker Aficionado:
1) $1,000 Human Genome Sequencing in Two Hours by 2012
2) A Japanese Physician compares the US and Japanese Healthcare Systems
3) Breakthrough Medical Gadgets Featured at TEDMed
4) Cigna Targets Individual Insureds with 25 Million Dollar Ad Campaign
In Recent Issues:
1) What Medicaid Tells Us About Government Healthcare by Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former Deputy FDA Commissioner.
2) Former Healthcare Plan CEO Shares Lessons on Leading Large Scale Organizational Change.
3) Dr. Jay Parkinson - Is This Social Media Entrepreneur the Future of Medicine?
4) Futurist Ian Morrison's New Book on Leading Change in Healthcare
5) Futurist Jeff Goldsmith's New Book on How Medical Imaging is Reshaping Healthcare
Innovatively Changing US Health Care From the Perspective of a Japanese Physician
The Japanese health insurance system covers comprehensive and uniform services including inpatient, outpatient, dental care and prescription drugs. The reimbursement is based on a uniform national fee schedule, which is regulated by the central government with consideration of total health care spending. Japan spends 8% of GDP on health care, while the US spends 15.3%.
From my perspective, the US, has more freedom in healthcare markets than Japan, and the US government has created a system to control private sectors. The US has implemented a more innovative quality improvement system for health care than Japan. The US has public reporting systems on quality and safety indicators, such as the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS), that are linked to financial reimbursement through pay for performance. The electronic health record (EHR) system is more pervasive in the US than in Japan. In the area of primary care, the concept of a patient-centered medical home may deliver comprehensive primary care with modern tools such as EHR, e-mail, and informed decision making.
Until now, the US has led innovation in health care with high technology and freedom of choice of health care for patients and professional freedom for physicians. However, this cannot be sustained because of the increasing numbers of uninsured people, escalating health care costs, and the increasing problems related to an aging society.
This is excerpted from an article in Thomas Jefferson University’s Health Policy Newsletter by Akira Babazono, MS, MD, PhD – Kyusha University. The rest can be read at: jdc.jefferson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1716&context=hpn
$1,000 genome in two hours by 2012, says CEO of Ion Torrent
Ahead of some of the most optimistic forecasts, Jonathan Rothberg predicts the ability to sequence the human genome in two hours by next year. For $1,000!
http://www.kurzweilai.net/1000-genome-in-two-hours-by-2012-says-ceo-of-ion-torrent?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=6c5e9735ca-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email
For more perspective on the future of genome sequencing, see Kevin Davies: http://www.promenadespeakers.com/page405.html
Breakthrough Medical Gadgets: The Future of Healthcare Hardware By Aaron Rowe – Gadget Lab – Wired Magazine
TEDMed’s recent conference highlighted advances in medical gadgets that could change your life. One was an injectable hand. Read more here: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/11/8-breakthrough-medical-gadgets/
Cigna 25 Million Dollar Ad Campaign Targets Individual Insureds:
In a sign of PPACA’s impact on the healthcare industry, Cigna rolled out a twenty five million dollar ad campaign to generate individual consumer coverage. This requires a different approach to building brand equity, which experts claim is often lacking. The rest of The Wall Street Journal article is here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903374004576578533245560822.html