John Eshleman, CEBS

“The conventional wisdom is that the U.S. healthcare system is broken, but that assessment is misleading. After all, can a system that has never truly existed be called broken? All the components of fabulous healthcare exist in abundance in the United States, yet with few exceptions, they have never been organized to work together…A more useful assessment is ‘U.S. healthcare is fragmented,’ and the right follow-up question is ‘How do we organize those pieces into a system that can use its components to meet patient’s needs?’…In the absence of true organization into delivery systems, however, providers often do not communicate with each other or coordinate their efforts…physicians are divided into increasingly narrow subspecialities defined by organs and diseases…This fragmentation is familiar to patients who feel that the healthcare system has forgotten that they are people, not just diseases…in a single year, the typical Medicare enrollee sees 7 different physicians. These 7 physicians include 2 different primary care physicians and 5 specialists who collectively worked in 4 different practices…most physicians do not have a stable population of patients for whom they feel totally responsible.” Thomas H. Lee

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“Pay-for-Performance is unlikely to be the road to salvation for the healthcare system, but it might be the entrance ramp to that road. In pay-for-performance, providers are paid on a fee-for-service basis, but with some portion in the payment, either through withholding or an additional incentive payment, contingent on quality- and efficiency-related performance targets…the limitations of this approach have become clear. Providers tend to focus their improvement efforts on the specific targets, with surprisingly little improvement in spillover in other areas…In order to pursue meaningful pay-for-performance incentives, providers must be organized…the relatively modest incentives that characterize most pay-for-performance programs will not be enough to motivate providers…Prospect Theory, the developers of which won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2002, argues that relatively small incentives attract disproportionate attention, particularly when framed as potential losses instead of bonuses…the annoyance of ‘leaving money on the table’ is more important than the bonuses themselves.” Thomas H. Lee

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As U.S. breast cancer screening practices evolve, many employers are updating healthcare benefits to include coverage for breast MRIs and ultrasounds https://ow.ly/SVLu50SZM5e #WomensHealth #EmployeeBenefits #EmployeeWellbeing #WTWPerspective

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As U.S. breast cancer screening practices evolve, many employers are updating healthcare benefits to include coverage for breast MRIs and ultrasounds https://ow.ly/nWHu50SU98q #WomensHealth #EmployeeBenefits #EmployeeWellbeing #WTWPerspective

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Alera Group webinar: Workers 55 and older are expected to exceed a quarter of the workforce in the U.S. and elsewhere by 2031. Read why this is a good thing, and learn how best to support older workers during our Oct. 17 webinar https://ow.ly/f3FC30sGVMH. #OlderWorkers

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#OpenEnrollment (OE) is one of the only times in the year when employees can enroll in or change their health insurance plans without restriction, and their decisions can have a lasting impact on their well-being, engagement, and satisfaction. However, many employees find OE confusing and overwhelming and may not choose the best plan for their needs.  That’s why OE is a strategic opportunity for #HRTeams to engage employees with the right resources, clear communication, education, and support. Discover our best practices for open enrollment: https://accd.co/3W1DqZL. Open enrollment is the cornerstone of HR leadership and can make or break your employee’s health and wallet. This crucial opportunity allows employees to tailor their healthcare and benefits to best fit their personal needs and circumstances. Employees can achieve significant financial savings by making informed choices that reduce out-of-pocket costs for medical care.  Given the high stakes, businesses must view OE as an investment in the well-being and productivity of employees, not an expense. To maximize investment, focus on three key areas: • Set smart and relevant OE goals • Communicate in a simple and engaging way  • Provide tools and services that can facilitate education and support.  One of the indicators of a successful OE for me is when employees express gratitude and appreciation for the benefits we offer and the support we provide. It shows that they value their benefits and feel empowered to make the best choices for themselves and their families. It also reflects the culture of care and compassion that we foster at Accolade, both internally and externally. HR teams receive an influx of questions and lean teams simply don’t have the bandwidth to answer. Accolade Care Advocates step in to fill this gap by providing personalized support and helping employees understand their options to make informed decisions. This support continues beyond OE, ensuring employees are on the right path for their health needs.  Examples of personalized support from Care Advocates can look like helping an employee find a lower-cost prescription, scheduling a preventive care visit, or enrolling in a wellness program. Effective OE and ongoing support can transform employee health outcomes and bolster corporate culture. Continuous engagement is crucial, and Accolade supports this endeavor year-round. Open enrollment is just the beginning of your employees and their family's journey to better health and well-being. A solution like Accolade can help your employees maximize their benefits throughout the year with personalized support, guidance, and advocacy. Whether your employees need help finding a doctor, managing a chronic condition, or accessing mental health services, Accolade is here for you. Don't wait, get started today and see how Accolade can make a difference for you and your company: https://accd.co/3S4bzH8.  

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We help you achieve your boldest ambitions. At WTW, transforming tomorrow starts with making strategic moves where it matters most. https://ow.ly/pJzO50SyoWp #WorkTransformation #WTWPerspective

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“Tech has always been a cost center in healthcare. It’s never been strategic. Every healthcare organization now realizes that they also need to be a technology company. Tech is (now) becoming a strategic differentiator.” Great insights from Arcadia President and CEO, Michael Meucci, in this conversation from #HIMSS24. https://ow.ly/xEiw50RAm6N

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We are asking the wrong questions. When asked about "financial support for employees", 68% of employers surveyed said that they offer or would offer a "Financial Wellness Program (financial coaching, investment advice)" in 2025. The problem is that coaching and investment advice solutions don't help financially ill employees who are living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to pay bills and handle unexpected money emergencies. There were no responses on the survey for adding financial solutions for employees that are financially ill. Yet, financially sick employees are the ones that contribute the most to higher levels of turnover, absenteeism, safety incidents, mental stress and healthcare costs. Employers with large populations of frontline, hourly, blue collar, etc. populations need to be asking "How can we help employees who are focused on financial concerns that are months, weeks or days out - not years and decades out like retirement readiness?" #financialillness #mercer

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An effective job leveling approach can help employers provide career development, pay progress and career equity to employees https://ow.ly/snVw30sFr8s #EmployeeExperience #CareerDevelopment #CareerStrategy #WTWPerspective

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Struggling to get answers about how to manage a complicated medical leave and or accommodation situation in your organization? Sign up today for a one on one consult with Beth De Lima: https://lnkd.in/gtAi6tCW

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“Physicians are excellent at reacting. A patient shows up at an office or emergency department in pain, and doctors go into action, figure out what is causing the symptoms, and start treatments to relieve them. Patients have a question, and physicians give an answer. The phone rings or the beeper goes off, and the physician responds. Physicians do so much reacting, there isn’t much time or energy left for being proactive-that is, dealing with anything other than the problem screaming for attention. This means that doctors do not routinely look over the list of their patients with diabetes to see who had their eye examinations, teach overweight patients about diets that might reduce the chances of a heart attack or stroke in 2 or 3 decades, or contact patients who have not shown up for their follow up office visits…Yet this sort of proactive care aimed at preventing problems in the future is just what patients with chronic diseases and complex medical conditions need if they are to reduce their risk of hospitalizations and premature death. Since these patients account for most of the healthcare costs in the United States, systems to care for patients in between their visits to the physician are a critical part of organized healthcare. These systems focus on improving the outlook of populations of high-risk patients by caring for them throughout the year, rather than solely concentrating on addressing the symptoms of the individual sitting in front of the doctor.” Thomas H. Lee

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