EconVue Q&A with David W. Johnson and his new book, Market vs. Medicine: America's Epic Fight for Better, Affordable Healthcare
posted by David W. Johnson on July 1, 2016 - 8:03pm
EconVue Q&A with David W. Johnson and his new book, Market vs. Medicine: America's Epic Fight for Better, Affordable Healthcare
Q: Who should read market vs. medicine?
A: Healthcare professionals and anyone interested in how the market will fix America’s very broken and very expensive healthcare system.
Q: You have interviewed many healthcare startups for this book, which company stands out the most and why?
A: Most new companies offer incremental improvement on existing products and/or services. Passion drives the most interesting early-stage healthcare companies. Their leaders are rebels with a cause. They really believe they can offer better, more affordable, more convenient and more compassionate healthcare services.
Q: If you were appointed as health czar, and you could fix just one thing in the US healthcare system, what would that be?
A: I would pay pre-negotiated prices for treatment episodes, not piecemeal payment for each procedure code.
Q: What are the opportunities for investors as health care restructures?
A: Invest in companies that advance efficient care delivery: better outcomes; lower costs; and better customer experience
Q: What role could education play in reducing health care costs? How could this be implemented?
A: People with more education lead healthier lives. Teaching nutrition early and often is a long-term key to developing healthier communities.
Q: We currently spend something like 17% of our GDP on health care, more than any other nation. What is the optimal spending level as a percentage of GDP?
A: Closer to 18%. The right number is 30% to 40% less with better outcomes.
Q: Is our spending so high because in reality we are subsidizing global health care research?
A: That’s a very small percentage of the over-spending. Most of the over-spend results from over-treatment and excessively high prices for routine treatments.
Q: What do you do every day to keep yourself healthy?
A: Eat real foods (mostly vegetables) and exercise.
David Johnson’s New Book, Market vs. Medicine: America's Epic Fight For Better, Affordable Healthcare can be purchased at http://www.4sighthealth.com/product/market-vs-medicine-americas-fight-better-affordable-healthcare/.
