In a Time of Uncertainty, the Voices We Need to Hear, Are Already Here
The U.S. healthcare system is in a moment of extreme pressure right now, but also extreme possibility. On the one hand, with the passage of the tax and immigration bill passed by Congress this month and signed into law on July 7 by President Trump, upwards of 15 million Americans might soon be losing health insurance coverage, nearly half of them current Medicaid recipients; and hospitals and physician practices are about to experience a double whammy, as they lose insurance coverage for a large number of patients and as reimbursement cuts could shutter a large number of rural and smaller hospitals nationwide. Further, some of the bill’s provisions will make health insurance coverage unaffordable for millions relying on the ACA marketplace exchanges. It’s going to be a very scary time for children’s hospitals, which rely on an average of half of their revenues on the Medicaid program, in particular.
At the same time, the leaders of patient care organizations nationwide are learning how to turbocharge their population health management and care management efforts in an unprecedented set of ways. And they are adopting artificial intelligence tools relatively quickly, and are obtaining early wins, particularly with regard to helping clinicians to respond to patient messages, and in areas such as study prioritization around urgent findings, in the radiology arena. So yes, it’s an exciting time as well.
We certainly will be presenting our audience that split-screen reality as we gather in person at our Washington, D.C. Summit next month. On Monday, August 18, we’ll gather together at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on 22nd Street N.W. in the District (for those who have attended past Summits at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, please be advised that we’re in the District this time), for a full day’s program of very important speakers and subjects.
With regard to federal healthcare policy, you won’t want to miss our Keynote Sessions, with Jerry Penso, M.D., the President and CEO of AMGA, the American Medical Group Association, and with Emily Brower, President and CEO of NAACOS, the National Association of ACOs. Both leaders of national associations have stron perspectives on everything touching on accountable care and value-based contracting. And then Jeff Coughlin, a senior leader at the American Medical Association, will share his perspectives on everything going on in official Washington.
And then Judy Winemiller Bruno, an absolutely dedicated rural healthcare leader and the CEO of a two-hospital rural health system in the Midwest, will share her perspectives on how all the policy, payment, and regulatory developments taking place in D.C. will affect the real world of healthcare delivery, particularly rural healthcare delivery.
Meanwhile, on the innovation side, we’ll be hearing from two leaders of an amazing artificial intelligence initiative at Penn Medicine that has been yielding terrific results in the radiology management area. And we’ll be hearing from a leader at KLAS Research about what CIOs, CTOs, and other healthcare IT leaders are asking for and reacting to, on the health information technology side.
You really won’t want to miss our D.C. Summit. For all the uncertainties and challenges in the current moment in U.S. healthcare, there are leaders showing us the way to the future on both the policy and operations sides. And we’ll be benefiting from the insights those leaders will be sharing, on August 18. Make sure to register today—you’ll be glad you did.