1. ACO, HIE, Medical Home – Hey Tech Vendors, First Things First
By Jim Bloedau of Information Advantage Group
In today's post, Brian Dolan over at MobiHealthNews,
started to take issue with his contributing editor, Neil
Versel, who stirred things up last week with an
article, “Silicon Valley often misses the point of
healthcare.” All comments fell in line with some
obvious frustration and wisdom on Neil's part about
how Silicon Valley often is "all hat and no cattle"
when it comes to clear thinking about healthcare and
how tech can best serve it.
With healthcare trying to balance physician
consolidation, ICD 10, EHR implementations,
Meaningful Use, Health Information Exchanges
and now Accountable Care Organization/Medical
Home infrastructure on the provider side and
Medical Loss Ratio, the 80% rule, employers
dropping coverage and health exchanges on the
payer side, wouldn't it be wise to really think
clearly about how "new and cool" tech has a
better fit to these problems?
It is very scary times for both providers and payers
and either you are part of a solution to these big
and immediate problems or...part of a solution that
might be interesting to them after they take care of
those immediate needs.
PS: Thanks Brian at MobiHealthNews.com for giving
me a bit of ink.
“The most helpful comment came from Jim:
Neil, thanks for a historically correct and sober
perspective about how hype cycles and technology
can seduce the well intentioned developer. Go easy on them, they are where innovation
comes from and healthcare needs it. Conversely, go hard on them for not seeking
experienced council from history and people who have actually been involved in patient
care and have seen a market cycle or two. Keep pushing the mantra “easy-to-use
technologies that simplify the lives of the old and sick,” adding, “...and the lives of those

2. who care for them.” Keep hoping for products that help both the sick and well to get
more connected with their health — we can’t depend on someone else doing it for us,
which is what most of “old healthcare” is predicated on. Fight the good fight.”