We are delighted to publish Issue 6.2 of HMPI. Not surprisingly, many of the articles are informed by Covid-19 issues while, building on what we are learning about health care services during the pandemic, highlighting opportunities for positive innovations that can improve health care quality, access, and cost-effectiveness in the longer term.
- Thomas Rice compares the U.S. to multiple metrics of health care efficiency, access, and equity in nine other countries – Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The article discusses the sources of superior efficiency, equity, and health outcomes in other countries and suggests possible avenues for improvement in the U.S.
- Rola Shaheen and Yasser Abu Jamei describe multiple initiatives that arose in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and are addressing mental health challenges in the Gaza strip that will create benefits that last well beyond the pandemic.
- Kevin Frick and Pinar Karaca Mandic argue that high-quality mentoring can facilitate the success of junior faculty in business schools who teach and conduct research on health care topics. In addition to internal mentoring from within a faculty member’s own school, they highlight the point that inter-university mentoring can be particularly important..
- Liam Ferreira and Forest Kim describe a DOCTOR model of delivery, outreach, cost, task-shifting, optimization, and revolutionary change that will help promote the implementation of innovations that originated in lower and middle income countries in response to COVID-19 and other large-scale public health emergencies that will help advance health services in higher income countries such as the U.S. healthcare system.
- Karoline Mortensen, Steven Ullmann, and Richard Westlund report insights from this year’s University of Miami health care conference, including vaccine hesitancy, value-based care models, telehealth services, stress and burnout, and Biden administration initiatives.
- Finally, Regi’s Case Corner describes a new case about how Savannah Informatics in Kenya sought opportunities in the midst of the disruption of the pandemic.
Health systems around the world continue to face huge stress. Each time that we heave a sigh of relief and say “Covid is on its way out”, the virus comes roaring back, demanding resources in acute care, short term treatment, long term care, vaccination programs, and activities throughout the global health care ecosystem – placing deep demands on public organizations, non-profits, and commercial life sciences. At the same time, demands for traditional services, often delayed because of the pandemic, are demanding deep attention. We are tired – but we do not have the luxury of relaxing yet.
One thing that helps us stay optimistic, though, is the learnings from Covid — about systems and services that we have changed in response to the pandemic and that offer hugely valuable innovations going forward, once the pandemic really does lay down its head (even if it only nods off rather than going away permanently). The research and perspectives from our authors provide ideas that will help health system and life sciences leaders build a stronger future.
Will Mitchell
Professor of Strategic Management
Anthony S. Fell Chair in New Technologies and Commercialization
Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto