Knowledge@Emory -- Health Economics

Can Information Technology Cut Healthcare Costs?

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:01:04 EST

As U.S. President Barack Obama refocuses efforts on universal healthcare, the burdensome question of how to fund it returns. With American healthcare costs skyrocketing, many industry experts argue that technology could be one of the most effective ways to slash rising expenses in the sector. But just what are the right and wrong ways to implement IT initiatives, and will hospital management and clinicians be willing to make needed and expensive investments in technology? Faculty at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and an industry expert from McKesson Technology Solutions debate the healthcare IT dilemma.

Why a Radical Cultural Change in Healthcare is Overdue

Wed, 13 May 2009 16:56:54 EST

Fred Sanfilippo, executive vice president for Health Affairs, CEO of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center, and chairman of the board of Emory Healthcare, knows well that the healthcare industry suffers from inertia, entropy, and resistance to change. In a recent lecture as part of the fifth annual healthcare industry forum at Emory's Goizueta Business School, Sanfilippo shared his vision of improved healthcare, stressing that "We need to provide 24/7 care in a way to fully engage people in a system they can navigate. It means developing new, interdisciplinary teams focused on the patient—a different approach.”

Why the Complex U.S. Healthcare System Will Challenge America�s Next President

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:24:54 EST

America’s healthcare system is on life support and the contenders for the White House all say they have plans for jumpstarting the system. But panelists gathered for a discussion on healthcare coverage design change during a recent healthcare forum at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, contend things on the healthcare front won’t change much, regardless of who is sworn in as President next January. Why? While the political buzz has focused on how to cover the 47 million uninsured Americans, several of the panelists view rising healthcare costs as the root of the problem and a much bigger policy issue.

Exploring the Growing Appeal of Medical Tourism

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:53:48 EST

The evolving medical tourism phenomenon is thriving globally and it’s an area of fascination and research for Dr. Michael Horowitz, a graduate of Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, and Jeffrey Rosensweig, a professor of finance at Goizueta. The two have written several articles on medical tourism and the globalization of the healthcare marketplace. Their latest, “Medical Tourism vs. Traditional International Medical Travel: A Tale of Two Models,” was published recently in the International Medical Travel Journal and details the heterogeneous features of people who travel for medical care. For instance, while patients from highly industrialized nations like the U.S. are enticed by the low cost of overseas medical care, residents of Canada, Britain and other countries with national health systems are more likely to pursue medical tourism in order to avoid long waiting lists.

Can Charitable Organizations Protect the Health of Women in Poor Nations?

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 01:47:03 EST

�We need to see the health of women in poor nations as an invasion that corrupts societies like slavery did,� says William Foege, an epidemiologist and emeritus professor of international health at Emory University�s School of Public Health. Speaking at the first conference on World Law & World Health, sponsored by the World Law Institute, Foege stressed that simply combining the good works many charitable organizations and foundations do for women in poorer countries with government support can empower women everywhere.

Can Anyone Make Sense�or Money�Out of Personal DNA Testing?

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:28:32 EST

It seemed only right that James Watson, who co-discovered the structure of DNA with Francis Crick and Rosalind Franklin, was the first to receive a DVD holding the sequence of his own DNA produced by 454 Life Sciences, a division of the Swiss drug giant Roche, and academic researchers. While DNA mapping technology under development at Roche and other companies has the potential to bring the long-awaited era of personalized medicine closer, there are enormous ethical, legal and investment hurdles to building successful business models based on decoding an individual's DNA, according to Wharton faculty and executives in the industry.

Is Six Sigma the Prescription for Ailing Healthcare Industry?

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:28:32 EST

Six Sigma principles have been applied to a variety of industries, since its introduction in the early 1980s as a process improvement system originally designed by Motorola leaders, and later improved upon by former GE head Jack Welch. Now authors Dr. Brett E. Trusko, Carolyn Pexton, Dr H. James Harrington, and Praveen Gupta, have taken this process and applied it to the crisis in the United States healthcare system. The authors, all industry insiders as well, say that Six Sigma should appeal to healthcare leaders interested in intrinsic improvements in a cost-laden, overburdened, and complex system.

Can Big Pharma Fix What Ails it?

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:55:41 EST

This should be a golden age for the pharmaceutical industry. Advances in information technology and in the understanding of the genetic code have given scientists powerful new tools for research, and led to the development of drugs that have made life better and longer for millions. And yet, prescription prices rose only 1.9% in 2006 and the pressure for generics, including Wal-Mart�s move to offer some brands for $4 per month, have created big headaches for Big Pharma. Can pharmaceutical companies recapture their glory days by making some strategic moves? Professors at Emory University and its Goizueta Business School explore the challenges and offer their prescription for stronger returns.

Can the NIH and Education Ensure Commercial Viability of Medical Innovation?

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 16:52:15 EST

Bringing a drug or innovation to market in the United States is a complicated endeavor. Even as the National Institutes of Health tightens its requirements to stipulate that grants issued for research must benefit consumers, the drug approval process and the needs of potential investors convolute matters even further. Is a more equitable means of balancing science and return on investment (ROI) possible? Researchers and marketers at Emory University�s School of Medicine, its Goizueta Business School and others examine the issues.

Can Organizational Theory Help Resolve Ethical Dilemmas in Medicine?

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 20:06:40 EST

Amit Nigam, a visiting professor of organization and management at Emory University�s Goizueta Business School, is taking a close look at the medical profession�s shift to managed care and the consequences of such a shift. In March, Nigam met with a group of healthcare professionals as part of a seminar series sponsored by Emory�s Center for Ethics to discuss his research; specifically, how organizations and systems can shape the ethical choices individuals make.

Medicare Part D: The New Frontier for Healthcare

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 21:31:15 EST

Will Healthcare IT Mean Better Outcomes for Patients and Providers?

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:17:05 EST

Few would argue that technology fuels modern business. Yet, most industry analysts and medical practitioners admit healthcare remains behind the times when it comes to using technology to improve the quality of care and to streamline administration. Why are medical practitioners resistant to IT advances, and what can be done to change the entrenched culture? How can technology ensure patient safety and medical outcomes, while preserving patient privacy? Is technology truly the solution to healthcare’s woes? Knowledge@Emory takes a look at this complex issue, with a select group of healthcare, academic and business leaders offering up their prescription to the roadblocks in technological implementation.

The Impact of Obesity on Healthcare and the Economy

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:35:58 EST

According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30% of U.S. adults (over 60 million people) aged twenty years or older are obese. Americans are getting fatter each year, and the resulting health concerns, from diabetes to heart disease, are driving up healthcare costs for public and private insurers and for the employers who provide insurance. Professors at Emory University and its Goizueta Business School, along with business experts, discuss the impact and the implications for businesses.

Vioxx Case Presents Merck With Few Good Legal Options

Wed, 05 Oct 2005 18:16:33 EST

On August 19, a Texas jury awarded a $253 million judgment against Merck & Co., in the first case to go to trial stemming from the fallout of its painkiller, Vioxx. Although Merck has vowed to fight the judgment, with a slew of similar suits likely, what�s the best strategy for the pharmaceutical giant? Experts at Emory University�s School of Law and Emory�s Goizueta Business School discuss the company�s options and note the legal battles could go on for years.

The Economic Impact of the Uninsured

Wed, 09 Mar 2005 16:08:33 EST

One year ago, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on the Consequences of Uninsurance issued a report outlining the severity of the problem, including the growing number of workers without health insurance, and the dire costs of not taking action. Recently, Mary Sue Coleman, one of the report authors, came to Emory University to discuss the findings and to gain support for the committee's recommendation: universal healthcare for all Americans by 2010.

Big Changes for Big Pharma?

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:04:21 EST

Many investors thought the large drug companies were the ultimate safe investment bet, with baby boomers aging, chronic conditions growing, and new drugs snapped up as soon as they are introduced. But Merck�s announcement on September 30 to pull Vioxx, a $2.5 billion-a-year arthritis medicine, because of harmful side effects, hit pharma stocks hard and is just the latest in a string of bad news confronting the industry. Professors at Emory University and its Goizueta Business School, as well as industry observers, provide some insight on the challenges the drug companies face.

Why Bush and Kerry are Wrong on Health Care

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:30:32 EST

Though health care has taken a backseat to Iraq and the economy in this year's presidential campaign, the two candidates have put forth detailed - and vastly different - proposals to solve the three broad issues facing American health care consumers: mushrooming cost, inadequate availability and uneven quality. Yet Wharton health care experts doubt either candidate's plan could be enacted as proposed - or would lick all those problems if it were. Here is what they suggest instead.

HIPAA Privacy: Helping or Hurting Healthcare?

Wed, 07 Apr 2004 13:06:39 EST

When the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act became federal law in 1996 (HIPAA), the intent was to allow employees to keep health insurance coverage even when they changed jobs. But the additional privacy requirements have become the primary focus of the HIPAA debate, and have spawned a whole new IT industry. Experts at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and industry insiders take a look at how the medical community is coping. (This is the 3rd article in a series on Technology and Privacy.)

Will Spiraling Healthcare Costs Bring Change?

Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:54:07 EST

Healthcare costs in the U.S. are far outstripping increases in the rate of inflation. And while chances of sweeping change are unlikely in this economic climate, some Emory health policy and business experts say that conditions may in fact be right for some change in the way Americans pay for their medical services.

Ounce of Prevention or Pound of Cure? Battling the Rise of HIV

Wed, 24 Sep 2003 00:00:00 EST

More than 14,000 people die of AIDS in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the human impact of the disease is obvious, the less tangible economic impact of HIV/AIDS is also quite substantial. How much will it cost the U.S. if HIV prevention goals are not met? A recent study exploring that question was published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The study�s co-author and other Emory public health experts discuss the issue.