Healthcare Leadership Strategies in Times of Economic Crisis and Political Opportunity 

The United States may be in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, but that does not obviate the need for health-care reform. If anything, it intensifies it. The poor value proposition of healthcare in the United States—the relatively low quality of care accompanied by rising costs—both contributes to, and is amplified by the current economic environment. Yet, with this crisis comes significant opportunity. At the local level, hospitals and health systems are developing innovative new delivery systems that, if scaled up to the national level, could help bring down costs and improve quality. The economic crisis gives policy-makers and stakeholders a chance to fashion the healthcare system in a way that is economically viable, scientifically innovative, and patient-centric. With concerted reform, there is a promising trajectory for significant improvements in health-care for all Americans.