A new slogan may be ascending to an important position in the lexicon of health care. It is ?disruptive innovations?, a term used persuasively by the author of a new book, The Innovator?s Prescription, published by McGraw-Hill.
The rise of technologies that introduce the ability to diagnose precisely the root causes of disease and create targeted therapies will lead to disruptive revolution of health care.
In 441 well-reasoned pages, author Clayton M. Christensen offers solutions to the critical condition of America?s health care system. We need a cure, and we need it now, he states, adding to a familiar refrain.
He describes disruptive innovation as new technologies and business models that are able to simplify products and democratize services. He contends the process can overturn and revolutionize entire industries.
Christenson, who is a professor of business administration at Harvard, and his two co-authors Dr. Jerome Grossman and Dr. Jason Hwang, are nationally recognized health care policy experts.
The authors tackle their subject from a business point of view, explaining how the vast array of products and services flooding the market from scores of highly-segmented industry groups have kept health care costs unnecessarily high.
The theme of this timely and thoughtful book is that disruptive innovation has the power to reduce costs while improving the quality, accessibility, convenience, and safety of care. They explain that the rise of technologies that introduce the ability to diagnose precisely the root causes of disease and create targeted therapies will lead to disruptive revolution of health care.
This is another example of the rethinking and innovation themes that are resonating through society at all levels, challenging all institutions.