Health Sector Leaders Consortium examines the future of healthcare

The Health Sector Leaders Consortium, held on Tuesday, October 17, brought together six distinguished guest speakers who shared invaluable insights and perspectives on several critical themes shaping the future of the health sector. The event, hosted by the Business Advancement Center for Health (BACH), left participants inspired to rethink the way they approach healthcare and equity.

Guest speakers included: Michelle Archambault, Director, Healthcare Markets, MN & ND, Genentech; Andy Danielsen, Chair of Mayo Clinic Ventures; Brett Edelson, CEO, UnitedHealthcare of MN, ND, SD; Tenbit Emiru, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, UCare; Jenny Ramseth, Vice President of Product at Best Buy Health; and Megan Remark, President, Regions Hospital and Senior VP, HealthPartners. The following insights were shared during the presentations and Q&A sessions at the consortium:

Building Trust Internally to Foster External Trust
One of the primary takeaways from the event was the importance of looking inward to build trust. The speakers emphasized the significance of creating a trustworthy internal environment as a foundation for fostering trust with external partners.

Community Partners and Co-Creators
Collaboration and community engagement were highlighted as essential aspects of creating innovative solutions in the health sector. The speakers stressed the need to work closely with community partners and co-creators to address healthcare challenges effectively.

Technology with a Human Touch
The event touched on the role of technology and artificial intelligence in healthcare. Participants discussed how technology can be harnessed to improve healthcare outcomes while maintaining the trust of patients. The consensus was that technology should be integrated with a human touch to ensure that patients' needs and concerns are at the forefront.

Digging Deeper into Statistics and Individualized Approaches
Several speakers emphasized the importance of delving deeper into healthcare statistics and tailoring solutions to individual communities. This data-driven and community-specific approach is seen as a crucial step toward understanding and addressing the unique needs of diverse populations.

Starting Small and Scaling Ideas
The notion that not every solution needs to be created at scale resonated with the attendees. Speakers acknowledged the power of starting small and progressively building upon successful ideas, allowing for more flexible and sustainable solutions in the long run.

The Business of Health
During her closing remarks, Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Founding Director of BACH Professor Pinar Karaca-Mandic highlighted how the Carlson School has implemented a Business of Healthcare minor. Karaca-Mandic stressed that understanding and researching health from a business perspective is vital. She also encouraged fellow researchers to break out of their comfort zones and collaborate with partners inside and outside the university (or their organization) to develop stronger, community-led structural health equity interventions.

A recording of the event can be found on BACH's YouTube channel.