[Editor’s note: As a New Year’s exercise, we asked a select group of Xconomists to answer this question: “What’s the craziest idea out there that just might succeed?”]
Reinventing the absolutely dysfunctional healthcare delivery system in the U.S. It is a daunting idea, as it requires major changes in 100 years worth of doctor and patient behavior, as well as an enormous shift in our healthcare payments ecosystem. Why might it succeed? We have no choice. If it does not change, the “American Dream” is over – and we now have the tools to do it. What will be the underpinnings of this change? Firstly, turning people into consumers of healthcare—where they investigate, compare, and shop for services with an eye towards the most efficient use of resources (time, money, etc.) for the best outcome; and secondly, evolving the way in which we pay for healthcare from a pay-for-volume approach to a pay-for-outcomes approach.
Author: Bryan Roberts
Bryan Roberts, Ph.D. is a partner with Venrock. He joined Venrock as a Kauffman Fellow in 1997. He is based in Venrock's Palo Alto office and focuses on a broad range of healthcare investments. Bryan currently serves on the Board of Directors of Ironwood (NASDAQ: IRWD), as well as a number of private companies including Achaogen, Coderyte, Fate Therapeutics, Ikaria, Satiety and Ventana. Past investments include athenahealth (NASDAQ: ATHN), Xenoport (NASDAQ: XNPT); Sirna Therapeutics (acquired by Merck) and Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN). Immediately prior to joining Venrock, Bryan received his Ph.D. in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from Harvard University. He previously held positions in corporate finance at Kidder, Peabody & Co and received his B.A. from Dartmouth College. Bryan was named a Henry Crown Fellow by the Aspen Institute in 2006, he was named to healthspottr's 2009 Future Health 100 list and was the highest-ranking healthcare investor on Forbes' Midas List in 2008 and 2009.
View all posts by Bryan Roberts