Health industry publications

The landscape of health policy, technology, and operations demands that professionals stay on top of key trends in the healthcare payer and provider, life sciences and pharmaceutical industries. PricewaterhouseCoopers' health industry publications focus on trends as well as key insights and best practices.

	Jammed access: Widening the front door to healthcare This report from the Health Research Institute (HRI), Jammed access: Widening the front door to healthcare*, addresses how we can increase access to care without increasing costs. The report focuses on three key obstacles that adversely impact accessibility: crowded points of entry; a system that is confusing to navigate; and individuals who inevitably fail to act on their health early. Jammed access: Widening the front door to healthcare* provides solutions and recommendations for the problems facing the healthcare industry.
	Rock and a hard place: An analysis of the $36 billion impact from health IT stimulus funding By injecting $36 billion in health IT through the stimulus fund, the federal government hopes to create a digital healthcare infrastructure that reduces costs and improves quality. Hospitals and physicians that want the stimulus money will find they have little choice but to comply with the new requirements or suffer future shortfalls in Medicare reimbursement.
	Strong medicine required The 2009 Winter Issue of View, a PwC business magazine, includes a new piece of thought leadership entitled, Strong medicine required. The report explores how the combined impact of a slowing economy, increasing healthcare costs and a new administration in Washington D.C. will impact a business's bottom line in the coming year and beyond. The report also looks at how businesses can effectively balance these costs with the need to attract and retain a productive workforce.
	Top nine health industry issues in 2009 In 2009, external forces will compel health industry organizations to react to new financial realities, regulations, and technology. Chief among those forces will be the effects of the economic crisis, a new president and Congress, and financial and technology companies looking to extend their reach into the health industry.  PricewaterhouseCoopers' report from the Health Research Institute (HRI) identifies nine significant issues that will shape the health industry in 2009.  To find out more about these nine issues and their implications read, Top nine health industry issues in 2009.
	Proposals to policy: A national conversation on healthcare reform Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of Health Affairs and health correspondent of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, moderated a panel of healthcare experts, economists and lawmakers as they discussed President Obama's health care reform proposals. This broadcast was recorded from the National Press Club, Washington, D.C. on November 20, 2008.
	Healthcare policy in an Obama administration: Delivering on the promise of universal coverage President Barack Obama has pledged to implement multiple changes in our health care system with the goal to increase access and affordability of health care in the United States. This report recognizes the difficulty in developing such reforms in light of current market conditions, the implications reforms could have and provides five suggestions to make health care more affordable. To find out more about how the President proposes to implement changes to the existing health care system and the possible impact of such reforms read, Healthcare policy in an Obama administration: Delivering on the promise of universal coverage.
	Research rewired: Merging care and research information to improve knowledge discovery Today's ad hoc methods of managing research information are beginning to strain under increasing demands for new drugs, more personalized medicine, better diagnostic tools, and post-market safety monitoring. This report investigates the benefits, barriers, and emerging approaches to creating an integrated information environment that will help to shape scientific diagnostic, drug, and device discovery in the future. See more
	Top eight health industry issues in 2008 Health organizations face a pivotal year in 2008 as they anticipate the wildcard outcome of the presidential election. Meanwhile, they must prepare for impending changes — pharmaceutical and life sciences companies are adapting to a new safety agenda from the FDA including the agency's expanded authority over post-market drug safety. See more
	Pharma 2020: The vision: Which path will you take? The current pharmaceutical industry business model is both economically unsustainable and operationally incapable of acting quickly enough to produce the types of innovative treatments demanded by global markets. In order to make the most of these future growth opportunities, the industry must fundamentally change the way it operates.