October 2012

Issue No. 4

In Every Issue

Alumni News

In Upcoming Issues

Taking the Plunge: WHC'95 Alum Jamie Richter Seeks New Challenges via Jericho Equity Partners, One Year Later

Where is the "I" in team? - Why Collaboration Matters in Healthcare, Part 3

Trends and Issues in Specialty Pharmacy, Part 2

From the Halls of Academia: “The 5,000 Hours” – The Next Frontier in Health and Health Care

From the Halls of Academia: A Roadmap to Reduce Healthcare Disparities

Additional Perspectives on the Supreme Court Decision on the ACA

Clinical Decision-Making: The Foundation for Success Under New Care Models

Why Healthcare Will Never be "Facebooked"

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Editor's Letter

It’s hard to believe this is the 4th edition of the Wharton Healthcare Quarterly and that we are closing out its first year of publication! Thanks to all who have made this effort possible - from the Board who had the idea in the summer of 2011 of starting an e-magazine, to all who have contributed articles and those who provided updates on their lives, to Jeff Voigt (the “executive sponsor” from the Board) and Gabriela Sanchez who provides administrative and project management support, and finally to you, our readers, without whom the WHQ has no life.

In order for the WHQ to evolve, stay fresh and relevant, and continue to both meet and anticipate your needs, I would ask each of you to take 5 minutes to provide your feedback in a brief survey. As was stated in the January 2012 inaugural edition, " 'We hope you will find this offering timely and informative, rich in content, varied in perspective, and highly interactive. Ultimately, we hope it will become a "go-to" resource and eagerly anticipated "must read.' " Therefore... we need you to let us know what you think!

Z. Colette Edwards, WG'84, MD'85
Managing Editor

To learn more about Colette, click here.

The President's Desk

Fellow WHCMAA Members and Colleagues,

We typically report on the Association’s financial and operating performance at the end of each calendar year. While I don’t want to steal thunder from our upcoming Annual Report, I can say we closed out a very successful Fiscal 2011-12. Membership was up 29%, with revenues growing 49% – driven by strong increases in membership dues, programming revenues, and corporate sponsorships. Read more
Contributor: Jay Mohr WG'91

Open Wide

One of the These Days We’ve Simply Got to Get Organized!
Open Wide column editor Harris Contos, DMD WG’80 explores the impact of dental misalignment in the U.S. and discovers an innovation born of necessity in Alaska. Might it work elsewhere?

The Philosopher's Corner

This eclectic standing column features insightful musings, words of wisdom, life lessons, and stepping stones to business success. This month’s philosopher is Sylvia Tara Ph.D, MBA ’05, so [read more].
We'd love to hear from you, so click here to participate in future editions.
Column Editor: Z. Colette Edwards WG’84 MD’85

The Wharton Healthcare Quarterly Interviews Zeke Emanuel

The Wharton Healthcare Quarterly Interviews Zeke Emanuel, the Diane v.S. Levy and Robert M. Levy University Professor, Vice Provost for Global Initiatives, and Chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. Learn more about where he thinks healthcare is headed.
Contributor: Z. Colette Edwards WG’84 MD’85

We Asked. You Answered

Find out the results of the survey on how the Association is doing and what enhancements you’d like to see in the future to better meet your needs.
Contributor: Jeff Voigt WG’85

The Fundamental "Gives" and "Gets" - The Basics for Effective Collaboration in Healthcare

Click here for Part 2 of our series on collaboration in healthcare.
Contributors: Jennifer Tomasik & Carey Huntington

From the Halls of Academia

“The 5,000 Hours” – The Next Frontier in Health and Health Care
"Helicopter parents" may not work so well, but click here to find out how “automated hovering” may prove beneficial in healthcare.
Contributors: David A. Asch WG'89, Ralph W. Muller, Kevin G. Volpp, G'97 MD'98, PhD'98

From the Halls of Academia

A Roadmap to Reduce Healthcare Disparities
Life is not fair. We all know it and have probably said it to ourselves at some point in our lives. As turns out to be the case if you dig deeply enough, when life is not fair to some, it costs all of us in the end. Read about the impact of inequity in healthcare and some evidence-based steps to take to address the issue. With this comprehensive, overview article from leaders in the field, the WHQ launches a series on healthcare disparities.
Contributors: Marshall Chin, MD, Alicia Casey, Amanda Clarke, Anna Goddu, Robert Nocon, Kevin McCollough

The Role of Patient Health Records in Achieving Meaningful Use and Patient Engagement

Click here to find out how the potential of the PHR can be more fully realized.
Contributor: Gail Levy

Hospitals, Complex Patients, Specialty Drugs, and Changing Payment Models: The Challenges and The Opportunity

Learn what one health system is doing to address the opportunity and meet the challenges.
Contributors: Willis Chandler WG’03 and Jon Puz

The Solution to America’s Health Problems Is Social

Find out how social networking provides solutions to America’s healthcare crisis.
Contributor: Rajiv Kumar, MD

Potential Implications of the Supreme Court Decision on Medicaid

4 months after the June Supreme Court decision [click here] for more perspectives on its impact on the Affordable Care Act and healthcare in the U.S.
Contributor: Gretchen Mills C'80 WG'86

"Old Age Is No Place For Sissies" (Bette Davis)

Research in Aging and Its Place in Healthcare Management
If you are a baby boomer or know one (or if just by chance you are getting older as you sit there), [click here] to learn about research on aging and the impact of the changing U.S. demographics on healthcare management.
Contributor: Bill Lipton W’69

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