This is a repost from today, December 6, 2012 HIMSS Blog. Jane Sarasohn-Kahn is a health economist and management consultant who works with the broad range of stakeholders at the intersection of health and technology. She focuses on strategy, qualitative market research, and health policy analysis for clients in the U.S. and Europe. Jane writes the Health Populi blog and can be followed on Twitter @healthythinker.
Chronic disease accounts for $3 in every $4 of health spending in the U.S. Four lifestyles – smoking, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, and poor diet – contribute to the non-communicable disease burden which kills 2 in 3 people. At the same time, the U.S. spends more on health care than any other nation in the world. Although the U.S. adopts the most innovative new-new medical technology (from aortic valves to CT scanners),Americans’ health outcomes are generally sub-par. In the U.S., we’re getting a lousy ROI on health spending. Continue reading the remainder of the post here.
