It was a pleasure to talk with Susan Dentzer about the important work she is doing at the Robert J. Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University, the complexity of healthcare, and some of the challenges the healthcare system and leaders are facing today. 

Areas of focus for the Center have been health system transformation and specifically the transition from volume to value payment, biopharmaceuticals, medical products/devices, global innovation, and most recently health equity.  

Early in the interview Susan shares that before COVID, in her role as Senior Policy Fellow, she was interested in value-based payment and opportunities for delivery system transformation. More specifically she was interested in moving healthcare closer to the people leveraging technology rather than brining people into the healthcare environment.  Spreading health into people and the communities to improve population health was another interest she held. 

Susan reveals one of the things that she has focused on more since COVID is telehealth, how it is being utilized now, what’s working and not working, and the path forward.    

During the episode we discuss the lessons being learned about telehealth, and the challenges yet to be overcome as we move past the COVID pandemic.  We also talk about how telehealth is one-half of an interdependent relationship with the other half representing the ability to provide face-to-face and hands-on care when needed.  We dialogue about how the tension between this pair shows up as resistance and fears.  

During the episode Susan shares her thoughts about the current healthcare system business model, which is deeply rooted in fee-for-service, and how it creates a barrier to healthcare delivery transformation.   

Susan was the editor of the book “Health Care Without Walls:  A Roadmap for Reinventing U.S. Health Care System” prepared by the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation(NEHI).  She shares some background on the book and why it was written. 

Another topic we discussed during the interview is  the need to transform education of future clinicians to prepare them for the delivery of care without walls, innovation, and the need for ongoing continuing education to meet healthcare needs in an ever-changing reality.  

If you are interested in being involved in policy or advocacy, Susan has some suggestions on where to start.   She also encourages you to never underestimate what you know and the experiences you have had because you will be shocked at what others don’t know or what they don’t understand about current healthcare realities.    

You probably already realize this is an informative and important dialogue for anyone who is interested in healthcare transformation.  Go ahead and listen now!

Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions, we may use your question on a future episode.

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Our mission is to start “a movement” of leaders who address the chronic challenges in healthcare through a Polarity Thinking™ lens!  If you're the kind of leader wants to help others, share this with your peers.

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