By Nancy Brown
CEO, American Heart Association
Nancy Brown has been the Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association (AHA) since 2008. During her tenure as CEO, Nancy has led the organization to many significant advances, including, launching the AHA’s Institute for Precision Cardiovascular Medicine, a ground-breaking research enterprise focused on fulfilling the promise of personalized medicine. She convenes the AHA’s CEO Roundtable, comprised of CEOs from the largest and most influential corporations in America driving new workplace health solutions. Advancing new mission-aligned and revenue business enterprises for the Association and evolving the Association’s first-ever integrated global strategy has expanded the organization’s international presence and impact. In addition to her efforts for the AHA, Brown is co-chairman of the Health Governors Community of the World Economic Forum, vice-chairman of the Truth Initiative, and serves as a member of the boards of directors of the World Economic Forum Center for the 4th Industrial Revolution, the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care, Research!America, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the Valentin Fuster-Mount Sinai Foundation for Science, Health and Empowerment. She also serves as a member of the Qualcomm Life Advisory Board, the Phillips Advisory Board and Leadership18. She is a past chairman of the board of the National Health Council.
Value-based healthcare should mean more than just payment for patient outcomes.
In the United States, we can create a framework that supports an equitable and affordable system of care. While the cost of healthcare and drug prices are concerning, focusing on the root causes will help us make the biggest impact. For example, partnering with regulators on clinical trial models based on upstream prevention rather than downstream treatment is just one strategy to better support the delivery of high-quality care.
There is also the opportunity to create an evidence-based strategy that inspires investment in solutions that guide change and support a consumer-centric system of value, affordability and innovation. For example, healthcare can leverage technology to improve patient care and compliance.
Involving patients in the solution and making their desires heard, including those who are not currently covered, is paramount.
The American Heart Association represents the voice of patients who tell us they want to be engaged in their care, understand what their doctor recommends, and develop a partnership that goes beyond the examination room.
Technology is vital to forming this partnership. Technology can support patient-doctor interactions, such as recording doctor-patient meetings for future reference or facilitating tele-medicine to provide care from a distance. It frustrates patients when, for example, they can’t see their doctor when they want to or they’re unclear how and when to make a payment. Involving patients in the solution and making their desires heard, including those who are not currently covered, is paramount.
We should leverage technology to collect and synthesize data to improve cost efficiency, performance and, above all, patient care. This will require integrating systems to break down silos, maximize data value, and achieve progress. To unlock the potential of technology, we need to have a broader conversation around data regulation and what it means to have personally identifiable information.
A key challenge is public attitudes around data security. It’s vital for the system to embrace a patient-centered approach to care and provide access to governed health data.
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