2011 Business of Healthcare Conference

11/17/2011 - Many medical device companies are pushing to develop technologies for use in emerging markets. But economic, cultural and business challenges threaten to derail their well-intentioned efforts.

Undeterred, many remain steadfast in their commitment to link entrepreneurship to the globe’s growing healthcare needs.

 At the Kellogg School’s 2011 Business of Healthcare Conference on Nov. 9, Kathy Sullivan, senior marketing director of Becton, Dickinson and Company, discussed her firm’s efforts to immerse itself in emerging markets and build grassroots coalitions. Daniel Pelino, general manager of IBM Healthcare and Life Sciences, detailed IBM’s work to create patient-centered solutions that consider the entire continuum of care.

 “The dialogue has advanced to such a point that we’re all sharing ideas and best practices, so miracles can become more commonplace,” Pelino said during the event’s closing panel, “Medical Device Innovation for Emerging Markets.”

The 2011 conference — “The Right Prescription for Value in Healthcare” — gathered about 200 professionals, academics and students at the James L. Allen Center to discuss how to create value in healthcare and its implications for the overall system.

The one-day, student-organized event featured keynote talks from Leavitt Partners senior adviser Charlene Frizzera and DaVita CEO Kent Thiry. Six moderated panels, many featuring Kellogg alumni, explored the healthcare industry’s most pressing issues as well as its greatest opportunities.

In addition to “Emerging Markets,” the panels included:

• “Marketing to Physicians in the Modern Era,” in which Clinical Professor of Marketing Tim Calkins led a discussion on physician detailing. The panel included Kellogg alumni Tracie Haas ’06, vice president of Abbott Laboratories; Curt Jennewine ’98, vice president of marketing at Zimmer; and Betty Rhiew-Breslin ’96, marketing director at Pfizer.
  
  
• “Evolving Reimbursement Models in Care Delivery,” featuring alumni Aetna’s Brigitte Nettesheim ’03 and Advocate Health Care senior vice president Scott Powder ’93. They and others explored the present and future of reimbursement models.
  
  
• “Defining and Adding Value,” including RoundTable senior partner Sandy Thompson ’92 and Sandbox Industries managing director Drew Turitz ’03. The panelists investigated how investors and advisers are contributing to organizations that seek improved care at lower costs.
  
  
• “Problems and Promise,” which examined the role of technology in disease management.
  
  
• “Healthcare Innovation through Design Thinking,” moderated by Greg Holderfield, co-director of the Kellogg/McCormick School of Engineering MMM Program. The discussion covered the current state of design thinking in healthcare and its potential to change delivery.

In closing the “Emerging Markets” panel, Sullivan challenged participants to be dissatisfied with healthcare’s status quo.

“There has to be a better way to deliver value and results,” she said. “Let’s find them.”