The healthcare puzzle

In order to be a “Winner,” from a societal, organizational and career perspective in the world of healthcare, you must understand the bigger picture of healthcare as well as the factors that influence it.

Just like a puzzle (I love analogies), you will never have a complete picture and understanding if you focus only on your own little piece of the healthcare puzzle. In order to complete that picture you need to understand the other pieces and where they fit into that big puzzle we call the “World of Healthcare.”

The recipients of this blog include people who work in the various healthcare sectors, policy makers at the state and federal levels and purchasers of healthcare services (employers/consumers). Ultimately, healthcare is too important a topic to sit on the sidelines as that world evolves around you. 

While healthcare can be complex, there is also a simplicity to it from both a policy and an industry trend perspective. 

The initial issues of this blog will lay a foundation of understanding for you that will allow us to do a deeper dive into the healthcare-related issues of today and future issues and trends in order to better position yourself and your organization to become a Winner in the World of Healthcare.

I hope you enjoy it.

--- Tom

Walking in the “shoes” of the other healthcare stakeholders (It is not always easy)

Given the critical importance of the healthcare industry and policy-related issues, I believe it is important to provide the reader with an “objective” analysis. I also believe it is important for the reader to “walk in the shoes” of the various healthcare stakeholders in order to set the stage for better understanding and collaboration. Given my size 13 shoes, I recognize walking in someone else’s shoes is not always an easy task, but it is a necessary requirement to truly understand healthcare’s societal and industry challenges and opportunities. 

Health economics will provide you with the tools to better understand the “World of Healthcare”

In my attempt to provide the reader with a more “objective” analysis (my objective maybe different than your objective), when applicable I will use health economics as a framework and a tool to allow you to better understand the healthcare-related issues around you as well as the associated opportunities and challenges. I believe that you will find the basics of health economics easy to understand, but also quite helpful to you and your organization as you attempt to become a Winner in the “World of Healthcare”.

Identifying other sources of knowledge to allow readers to take a “deeper dive” into the subject matter

Obviously, there is only so much that can be addressed in a blog. Where applicable, I will also identify other sources of information, journal articles, other news-related articles or blogs to allow you to do a deeper dive into the issues that interest you.

“Benevolent Confrontation” – Exchanging ideas or perspectives to make things better

I have used the term “benevolent confrontation” for many years. I define it as a free exchange of perspectives to make things better. This phrase also goes hand-in-hand with “walking in the shoes” of the other healthcare stakeholders.  You will have an opportunity with this blog to also share your own perspective (in a respectful manner) on the subjects being discussed. 

I plan to publish this blog on a regular basis.

Wishing all of you a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Thomas Campanella is the director of the Health Care MBA and an associate professor of health economics at Baldwin Wallace University near Cleveland, Ohio. 

Source of pictures: https://pixabay.com/