Medical technology is one of the most innovative sectors in the U.S. economy. The market is fueled by aging populations, expanding chronic conditions, and a forecasted growth in demand for companion diagnostics to use in concert with personalized, targeted therapies. In its detailed update, Pulse of the industry: US medical technology report 2008, Ernst & [...]
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Seniors grab brands for Part D, and generics for self-pay
Seniors are acting like true, Adam Smith-style Rational Economic Man and Woman when it comes to their behavior as Medicare Part D enrollees. They go for the more expensive prescription drug brands when covered by the government; once getting to the ‘donut hole,’ though, seniors opt for lower-cost generics. Medco Health discovered this in [...]
Employee health and productivity — a growth segment
If employers got their collective hands on Aladdin’s lamp, they’d wish for: Increased employee accountability Reduced health risks Tailored health management programs that account for risk Health data and measurement tools that feed into analytics and outcomes measures, and Integrated and well-managed benefits and programs. These wishes are brought to you by Hewitt Associates’ 2008 [...]
Retail clinics: cheaper per visit and access-enhancing, but cost-expanding
A study in Health Affairs finds that retail clinics achieve cost-savings for primary care maladies. However, an aspect of this story illustrates Roemer’s Law: that the health care market suffers from supply-induced demand. In plain English: the more supply of health services you add to the market, the more costs will be incurred. Or [...]
The cost of beauty, an American obsession
About $7 billion is spent each year on cosmetics. Another $1.5 billion is spent on breast augmentation, $1.3 billion on lipoplasty, and nearly $1 billion on abdominoplasty — aka, “tummy tucks.” Beauty At Any Cost is an important report from the YWCA. The organization has quantified the economic costs of the never-ending search for ‘beauty,’ [...]
About Jane & Health Populi
Jane Sarasohn-Kahn is a health economist and management consultant that serves clients at the intersection of health and technology.
Her clients include all stakeholders in health, including providers, payors and plans; companies in biopharma, medical devices, financial services, technology and consumer goods; non-profits and NGOs. Jane's lens on health is best-defined by the World Health Organization: health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
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ePatients: a connected, collaborative, creating community
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Patients want online communication with doctors, and more clinicians are listening
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Meeker & Murphy on Mobile – through the lens of health
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Patient Power Through Data Liberación, and Private Sector to the Rescue – Health 2.0 DC Takeaways
