Gabriel Perna, Author at Health Evolution

Technology

Data Dive: 20 cities ripe to become Amazon health hotspots

Evaluating area need, economics, market willingness and existing footprint, Array Advisors maps out where the tech giant could establish a presence with a variety of its health care services.

COVID

The politicization of vaccines and public health illustrates the depth of inequities

In the midst of the worst pandemic in 100 years, trust in public health, science and vaccines is eroding. CEOs must take action to help reverse this damaging trend.

Leadership

Health Evolution CEO Reading List

Chief executives of providers, payers and life sciences organizations can look to this frequently updated list for articles and resources about health care and leadership.

Technology

Why even innovators struggle to define and measure innovation

In the first of this two-part series, Peter Fleischut, MD of NewYork-Presbyterian and Sara Vaezy of Providence reveal what’s on their innovation checklists, which metrics they are successfully using, and the need to foster a culture to support transformation.

New Entrants

How the Blues Antitrust settlement could shake up the health care industry

If approved by a federal judge, the case would have immediate short and long-term impacts for both payer and provider organizations and create a more competitive landscape.

COVID

Data dive: Patients’ confidence in the health system takes a COVID-related dip

One-third of patients feel less confident in the health care system than they did before the pandemic and many continue to delay care, according to new research.

Policy

President-elect Biden’s challenges and opportunities to move past partisan gridlock

While experts are saying that in all likelihood it will be difficult for Biden to enact short-term policy changes, there are Trump administration moves he could roll back.

Policy

Health plan CEOs remain confident the Supreme Court ACA case won’t overturn the law

With the fate of the law being decided by the Supreme Court, Oscar Health and Centene chief executives continue to plan ahead in efforts to expand ACA marketplace plans in 2021 and after.

COVID

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine: How will it be distributed and who will receive it first?

Now that its vaccine has demonstrated 90 percent efficacy in Phase 3 clinical trials, Pfizer SVP Peter Honig, MD discusses next steps, timelines for wide availability, and the work still ahead.

Leadership

Political tension in the workplace: CEOs must address the challenge

As the election ends, how can health care CEOs and leaders navigate what’s sure to be a deeply divided population in their communities and within their own organizations?

COVID

Telehealth in the specialty world presents opportunities, challenges

The pandemic has pushed the health care industry forward on telehealth and not just for urgent and primary care either. Specialties, such as ob-gyn, that never would have been associated with telehealth are becoming more familiar with it as well.

Policy

Trump vs. Biden on health care: What CEOs should know

The election is in the homestretch. Where do President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joseph Biden stand on the most pertinent health care policy issues?

COVID

Twin peaks: How COVID and flu hospitalizations may converge

Even if there’s a “good flu season,” hospital CEOs will have to be prepared to flex staff and manage capacity for triage and admission if COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to swing unpredictably.

Leadership

Health care organizations need to do a better job promoting women to the C-Suite

Diana Allen, who is the President and CEO at SSI Group, discusses the gender gap in the health care C-suite and what can be done to fix it.

Policy

How COVID-19 reshaped innovation priority lists

While telehealth rose, revenue cycle management dipped but retained a spot, while supply chain proved offered a surprise twist. In this Q&A with UPMC’s Robert Bart, MD, he explains how COVID shifted health system innovation priorities.

COVID

With public trust in COVID vaccines fading, CEOs must be trust amplifiers

What happens if a COVID vaccine comes along and no one wants to take it? Experts in the vaccine development process explain how health care CEOs can improve the public’s trust.

Policy

The ACA faces an uncertain future: How can CEOs plan ahead?

No one can predict what will happen to the ACA when the Supreme Court rules on the law in November so CEOs should be prepared regardless of the case’s outcome.

COVID

Contact tracing: CEOs must remain vigilant on patient privacy

With consumers hesitant to use contact tracing apps, CEOs must be transparent with their messaging, take advantage of the privacy frameworks available and earn public trust. We spoke with various experts on how CEOs can navigate the privacy challenges of contact tracing.

Policy

Tom Daschle, Kavita Patel and Ezekiel Emanuel discuss what Biden’s health policy might look like

The trio of Washington insiders share perspectives on what a Joe Biden administration would mean for the ACA, a public option and value-based care.

New Entrants

Health Evolution's Top 5 articles in September

The CEO of VillageMD talks with us about the changing primary care landscape. Female executives remember the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Here are a few popular articles we published in September.

AI & ML

The hype and human challenges of AI are top of mind for CEOs

CEOs and executives embedded in AI see a couple of roadblocks standing in the way of significant progress. They shared their concerns—and advice to CEOs on addressing those issues—with Health Evolution.

Leadership

CEO turnover remains high in hospitals

Nearly 20 percent of hospital CEOs left their job in 2019, according to a new report from the ACHE. Deborah Bowen, CEO of ACHE, discusses the potential impact COVID-19 will have on CEO turnover in 2020.

COVID

Four primary care disruptors discuss retail, COVID-19 and more

Health Evolution spoke with leaders at four different disruptor organizations to examine the changing primary care landscape. Use of tech, leveraging community partnerships, and advancing new models of care are a few of the ways these companies are driving growth.

Social Determinants

ACA, COVID-19's impact on uninsured Americans: Two steps forward, one step back

New data on uninsured rates illustrates that 6.7 million more people lost their health insurance during the pandemic from February to September—which is having a disproportionate impact in Black and Hispanic communities.

Consumerism

Health care leaders share consumer engagement strategies for COVID and beyond

Executives from CVS Health, Change Healthcare, Collective Health, innovationOchsner and AdventHealth discuss how they are leveraging technology, focusing on preventive care, and improving vaccine outreach to engage consumers during the pandemic.

Social Determinants

One health system adopts ride sharing to address social determinants of health

After conducting a needs assessment under the ACA, Virtua Health instituted transportation services to reduce no show rates among underserved communities.

New Entrants

VillageMD’s CEO Tim Barry: “Our health care system is failing the citizens of the U.S.”

Health Evolution talks with VillageMD CEO Tim Barry and CMO Clive Fields, MD, about the company’s three-year, $1 billion investment from Walgreens, the changing primary care landscape and more.

New Entrants

Summer Deals Report: Looking at M&A in health care from June to August

In the initial installment of our deals report, Health Evolution looks at the proposed and finalized mergers and acquisitions in the industry that occurred over the preceding three months.

Technology

How a safety-net provider successfully implemented a virtual hospital

Can a safety-net hospital successfully virtualize care? Denver Health managed to build a program to monitor high-risk patients who didn’t meet admission criteria for COVID-19 hospitalization.

Technology

Why the Teladoc-Livongo merger is a wake-up call for CEOs on consumer health

The combined companies put health care on the path to a digital-first future. For payer and provider CEOs, the importance of the deal can’t be overstated.

Technology

Longtime Intermountain CIO to health care CEOs: ‘Don’t go backward’ with innovation after COVID-19

The “burning platform” of COVID-19 broke down silos between IT, operations and other business functions. Now, it’s up to CEOs to lead the enterprise into a digital future by continuing to invest in innovation, according to Marc Probst.

COVID

By the numbers: The financial impact from COVID-19

Individual health systems and hospitals are reporting the impact of COVID-19 on their finances. For some, it's a sign of the pandemic's damaging impact. For others, it hasn't been as bad.

COVID

Could the cost of prescription drugs go up during COVID-19?

The hotly contested drug pricing debate rages on as research suggests Americans are concerned about higher medication costs, health care leaders face people who are angry or scared, and progress remains unlikely in an election year.

Social Determinants

The trust factor: Why life sciences companies must go all in on SDOH

Ramona Sequeira, President of Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A, talks with Health Evolution about why the life sciences world can’t be the forgotten sector when addressing social determinants of health.

Value-based Care

Partnerships are enabling Humana, Highmark to transform during COVID-19 and beyond

Humana’s Alan Wheatley and Highmark’s David Holmberg talk about the importance of strategic partnerships in developing virtual health capabilities, advancing new models of care and more.

Technology

Data dive: Private health plan telehealth usage during COVID-19

New data from Peterson Center on Healthcare and KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) highlights how private health insurers are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID

ATA CEO Ann Mond Johnson: “Technology saved the health system from collapse”

Johnson spoke with Health Evolution about the role telemedicine has played in saving the health system, as well as what needs to be done to keep the momentum going.

Policy

Breaking down Trump’s executive orders on drug pricing

Experts discuss their skepticism about three of the rules and why a forthcoming additional one could ultimately be effective.

COVID

Envisioning the “next norm” of health care

Rasu Shrestha, MD, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Atrium Health, spoke with Health Evolution about what long-term projects are underway at Atrium in response to the COVID pandemic and to share some of the lessons they’ve learned in the last few months.

COVID

Taking on social determinants of health in the COVID era

COVID-19 has further exposed the country’s massive health disparities. That’s why health care organizations like Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ are using data analytics, partnerships, investments in housing and other strategies to tackle the problem.

COVID

Infographic: Where did all the patients go?

Preliminary data has shown just how much COVID-19 has potentially affected emergent medical, surgical and obstetric hospitalizations, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston and nationally.

Policy

Biden’s health care plan: 5 things to know

Former Vice President Joe Biden and the Democrats outlined proposals to disrupt the health care system if elected in November. On the table? A public option added to the ACA, taking on the pharma industry to lower prescription drug prices and revamping the health care workforce.

AI & ML

COVID-19 rapidly accelerated telehealth adoption. Now what?

eVisit CEO Bret Larsen talks with Health Evolution about how COVID-19 has changed the game for telehealth and what steps CEOs need to take to ensure this isn’t a missed opportunity.

COVID

Hospitals stockpiling what they can—but critical supplies remain backordered

A recent survey from Premier reveals that 90 percent of health care providers are contributing to stockpiles of critical medical supplies and drugs intended to last as long as 90 days.

Consumerism

Survey reveals most patients think health system is needlessly complex

A new survey of consumers reveals that more than 60 percent say the health system is confusing and not a single task related to care is effortless.

AI & ML

Indiana’s Jennifer Sullivan on the Hoosier state's public health turnaround

Jennifer Sullivan, MD, the Secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, talks with Health Evolution about how the state’s Healthy Opportunities initiative has tackled social determinants of health in the Hoosier State.

COVID

10 health care leaders on lessons from COVID-19

David Feinberg, MD of Google Health, Peter Fine of Banner Health, Amy Abernethy, MD of the FDA and other health care leaders and influencers share their thoughts what they’ve learned thus far from the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID

M&A, digital health investments move forward despite pandemic recession

While the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to many health care organizations, it hasn’t had a major impact on mergers and acquisition or digital health investments thus far.

COVID

Edwards Lifesciences CEO Mike Mussallem on cross-industry collaboration during COVID-19

Mussallem discussed forging unique partnerships with UPS and others in response to pandemic, moving forward amid revenue declines and his advice for other CEOs to succeed despite the COVID-19 chaos.

AI & ML

Health care pricing transparency: The laws have been upheld, but will it work?

A look at the arguments for and against the price transparency rules for health care providers and payers.

COVID

New Jersey health system dives into real-world evidence and COVID-19

In a state that was hit hard by the virus, Hackensack Meridian Health used data tools to generate real-world evidence on how certain therapies mitigate COVID-19. Here’s what the system learned.

COVID

The 20 rural areas most vulnerable to COVID-19

New analysis from the Surgo Foundation reveals a list of 20 rural health communities that are the most vulnerable “testing deserts” in the nation. These are areas without a testing site and the most deaths per capita.

COVID

How payers can be the saviors of the primary care pandemic

How can payers sustain primary care both during and after the pandemic? Our panel of experts dig into this question in part two of our series on COVID-19’s impact on primary care.

COVID

CommonSpirit Health CEO Lloyd Dean on social disparities, COVID

Health Evolution interviewed CommonSpirit Health CEO Lloyd Dean on the racial inequalities of COVID-19, leadership lessons he has learned from the pandemic and more.

COVID

How COVID-19 has taken a toll on primary care

In part 1 of a two-part series, we discuss with a panel of experts the struggles of primary care during COVID-19 and the potential positives that could emerge.

COVID

AMA’s Patrice Harris on health care’s double crisis: COVID-19 and clinician burnout

AMA President Patrice Harris, MD, talks with Health Evolution about how health care CEOs can address this looming issue.

COVID

Infographic: The mental health impact on COVID-19 frontline providers

What kind of mental health impact could COVID-19 have on frontline providers? Early research from China is quite revealing.

COVID

Supporting COVID-19’s mental health crisis for frontline providers

The mental health toll of this pandemic will linger well beyond the coronavirus itself. Here are some of the ways CEOs can provide mental health support for frontline providers.

COVID

As states reopen, CEOs and #OpenSafely initiative emphasizes safety protocols and messaging

Health care thought leaders outline measures to help communities reopen states from the first phase of COVID-19 in a deliberate and phased approach.

COVID

Cleveland Clinic shares its digital health playbook

The system went from less than 2 percent of patient care being done virtually to 75 percent in a matter of days and now it is circulating its play book to educate other health care executives.

Technology

Remote care: Four areas where health care is succeeding

As CEOs increasingly look to virtualize care services amid COVID-19, these programs have proven to be successful from a cost and outcomes perspective.

COVID

Livongo’s Glen Tullman: After COVID-19, we can’t go back to the old, broken health care system

Livongo Executive Chairman Glen Tullman spoke with Health Evolution about the impact of COVID-19 on digital health adoption and why it’s imperative that health care CEOs use this circumstance to rapidly evolve their organizations.

Leadership

How CEOs are supporting frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Grocery stores, hotels, and compassion crews. CEOs are doing whatever it takes to make sure their frontline caregivers are being supported during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Technology

COVID-19 cancellations hit every specialty and region

New studies from the CommonWealth Fund and Luma Health illustrate the pandemic’s impact on patient’s keeping their appointments.

COVID

Rural health CEO on the financial struggles of COVID-19

Steve Barnett, CEO of McKenzie Health System, talks with Health Evolution about financial challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Policy

Hospitals’ finances plunged in March thanks to COVID-19

From a financial perspective, the COVID-19 pandemic was painful for hospitals in March, according to a new report from Kaufman Hall.

Technology

COVID-19’s cybersecurity crisis cannot be ignored by CEOs

Security experts discuss where chief executives should focus efforts to protect sensitive data during the pandemic.

Policy

COVID-19, struggling economy threaten ACOs

New data from the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the National Association of ACOs suggest Accountable Care Organizations could face financial hardship.

Social Determinants

10 COVID-19 data resources

These tools can be used to track the spread of the virus by geographical region, understand surge capacity, view community data and more.

AI & ML

Klasko, Khosla look at the future of AI in health care post COVID-19

Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, was joined by Steve Klasko, MD, President & CEO, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health at the Health Evolution Executive Briefing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to talk about the future of AI. Will AI be able to predict who is going to get a viral disease during a pandemic?

AI & ML

COVID-19: A turning point for AI regulation in health care

Whether building AI in-house or partnering with technology vendors, CEOs and executives driving hard to deploy AI to fight the pandemic have to focus on fundamentals, according to experts at the Health Evolution Executive Briefing: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

Consumerism

How CVS, Teladoc and Google Health view consumerism during COVID-19

CVS Health CEO Larry Merlo, Teladoc CEO Jason Gorevic, and Google Health VP David Feinberg, MD talked about changing consumer habits at the Pandemic Response virtual gathering. What are the lessons they are learning in real time?

Policy

Health care leaders share biggest fears, hopes amid COVID-19

CEOs and stakeholders from government, provider, payer and life science organizations shared insights about the pandemic at Health Evolution’s Pandemic Response: A Public-Private Call to Action webcast.

Leadership

HSS CEO Lou Shapiro on reallocating 85% of resources to battle COVID-19

The Hospital for Special Surgery chief executive discusses suspending non-essential care to help other New York City hospitals battle COVID-19.

New Entrants

6 ways to increase ICU capacity amid COVID-19

Need space? Here's a look at how some health care organizations are already expanding ICU capacity to deal with the pandemic.

Policy

The current and coming costs of coronavirus (INFOGRAPHIC)

Health insurance companies, providers, and consumers will all pay—one way or another—for the coronavirus pandemic. Here is a look at some recent financial analyses that paint a no-so-pretty picture.

Curative Therapies

Health care executives put aside competitive differences to fight back COVID-19

In Washington State, New York City and points between, health system leaders are engaging in uncommon collaborative efforts as coronavirus sweeps across the nation.

Leadership

Coronavirus: Health care accelerates innovation in pandemic response

Across, the board—providers, payers and other stakeholders—are working to immediately meet the increasing demands and capacity that is being caused by coronavirus.

Policy

7 things CEOs should know about the final interoperability and patient access rules

Health Evolution found these top takeaways for CEOs of health care providers and payers in the new rules from HHS.

Curative Therapies

Taiwan’s impressive efforts to thwart coronavirus

Despite being so close to China, where the COVID-19 outbreak began, Taiwan responded quickly by using data, analytics and proactive testing to slow down spread of the disease.

Policy

The health system CEO who supports Medicare For All

UMass Memorial CEO Eric Dickson, MD, discusses why he openly backs Medicare for All, how he handles negative responses to the idea, and more.

Consumerism

Are digital tools in health care creating a better patient experience?

A new survey from the Center for Connected Medicine (CCM) reveals that health systems are not getting a lot of bang for their buck when it comes to digital health tools for patients.

Leadership

CEOs are divided on speaking out in polarizing times

A recent survey found that 92 percent of employees say CEOs should speak out on issues of the day. Some CEOs agree and have made their thoughts on gun violence, Medicare for All, and other divisive topics publicly known. Others don’t think it’s a good idea. Here’s a look at both sides.

AI & ML

Rural hospitals are facing more closures than ever

New data reveals that 2019 saw a record-setting number of rural hospital closures. It could get even worse in the 2020s. Here’s an infographic that shows the problem at large and what variables are driving this unfortunate trend.

Consumerism

Surprise billing impacts one-in-five Americans

Surprise billing is one of the most hotly debated issues in health care policy, thanks to competing legislative bills in the House and ongoing rhetoric from the White House. Just how prevalent of a problem is this in the health care system?

AI & ML

Providence St. Joseph executives on the ‘3 As of AI in health care’

Aaron Martin and Maryam Gholami discuss the biggest opportunities for AI in health care, what they’ve discovered through investments and more.

Leadership

Physician burnout: 5 steps CEOs can take to fix the problem

Clinician burnout is costing the industry $4.6 billion every year— and that means you’re already spending more on the problem than you might think. Here’s how much burnout is taxing your organization and what CEOs can do about it.

Social Determinants

ProMedica CEO on evolving beyond the hospital and finding commonalities in China

ProMedica CEO Randy Oostra and Kathleen Krueger, President of ProMedica International, chatted with us about the organization’s efforts in China, how ProMedica has evolved in a post-acute world, finding similarities between the two countries, dealing with coronavirus and more.

AI & ML

AI and machine learning: By the numbers (Infographic)

The era of artificial intelligence and machine learning has arrived. Investments are being made, partnerships formed and use cases developed. Here's a look at the numbers.

Policy

The 2020 Health Evolution Impact Circle will focus on price transparency, consumerism, election year policies

The Impact Circle is an invitation-only gathering of CEOs, select policymakers and investors to accelerate a positive future for health that takes place at the Health Evolution Summit.

New Entrants

Is China the land of opportunity for U.S. health care?

The recent trade war between America and China hasn’t stopped the American health care industry from a different kind of exporting — looking eastward for expansion opportunities. Here’s why UPMC and others are investing in China.

Leadership

CEOs on leading through increased public scrutiny

Several underlying forces are turning up the heat on health care executives. How to survive and thrive? It starts with changing your mindset about the role you play as CEO.

Policy

Hotspotting: Research reveals it's not yet proven

While hotspotting has received praise, new research from the New England Journal of Medicine shows it may not be as effective as once thought.

Leadership

2019: The year in health care quotes

As we head into 2020 with existing and new challenges abound, here’s what the industry's leading executives had to say to Health Evolution in 2019.

Leadership

Gender disparities in leadership: What health care CEOs are doing to turn the tide

Women make up the majority of the industry's workforce but only a small sliver of its leadership. Here’s a look at some of the proactive executives making small, but notable, strides in diversification.

AI & ML

Four ways AI is making an impact in health care

No longer the realm of futuristic science fiction, artificial intelligence and machine learning are already making a variety of in-roads in health care. Here are four examples.

Leadership

Rural health care CEOs are thriving in transformative times

More than 100 rural hospitals have closed since 2010 and approximately 700 more are currently in danger of following suit. How do rural CEOs survive? By looking ahead.

New Entrants

How Project Adirondack came to fruition

Maureen O’Connor, President of Whiterabbit.ai and formerly an executive with Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina, and Rob Coppedge, CEO of Echo Health Ventures, recall how Project Adirondack emerged.

Consumerism

Many CEOs say pricing in health care is too complex to be transparent

Reaction from the health care industry to the recent rules on health care pricing transparency has been mostly negative and cynical. Here’s why some CEOs are saying pricing is too complex to be transparent and the rules could even create higher prices.

New Entrants

Entrepreneurial health care CEOs are finding inspiration abroad

Academic researchers suggest that innovation from other countries could cut care delivery costs by up to 50 percent. Some CEOs are taking this to heart and employing lessons learned abroad here in the U.S.

Leadership

Allina Health CEO Penny Wheeler on removing inefficiencies within health care

Penny Wheeler says that the 80% of care the health system provides could be “done in other settings.” Here’s how she thinks these inefficiencies can be addressed.

New Entrants

Is big tech outpacing health care for top talent?

Technology titans are no longer entirely new to health care. Yet now more than ever, CEOs find themselves competing with big tech for personnel. Provider CEOs and recruiters offer advice about attracting talented employees even with fewer resources than large vendors.

AI & ML

Eric Schmidt and John Doerr discuss the compromise big tech and health care need next

The legendary investor and technologist join David Brailer in a conversation about Amazon, Apple, Google, IBM, Microsoft and others’ big potential but challenges to match as the new entrants continue their march into the realm of providers, payers and life sciences.