May 2019 | Volume 2
MOVING INTELLIGENT CHANGE FORWARD
INNOVATION DIGEST
Real-world evidence tells us that we haven’t yet hit the sweet spot of prevention and treatment, and that there are other aspects of care (and the infrastructure needed to deliver it) that require out attention. While we’re so distracted by the endless bickering over price and profit, we’re missing (or avoiding?) the vital and complex national discussion about purpose. Primary care providers, family caregivers, public health officials, community health workers and patients confront the needs and solutions every day. How do we bring their voices forward and create the scale and commitment needed to change our path?
A drug with a multimillion-dollar price tag is making a mockery of Washington’s efforts to rein in prices
Gilead Sciences, a California biopharmaceutical company, scored a major breakthrough in 2013 when the Food and Drug Administration approved Sovaldi, a pill that could cure hepatitis C when combined with another antiviral medication. And then Gilead delivered another breakthrough, albeit not a good one: It priced Sovaldi at $1,000 per pill, or $84,000 to $168,000 per course of treatment.
Look behind the lecture: Payer consideration of patient input
My name is James Chambers and I am Associate Professor at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. I work in the Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health (CEVR) and my research largely focuses on how payers cover medical technology. We are currently finishing a study in which we examined what input patients currently have in specialty drug coverage policy decision making, and the benefits/challenges of formally including the patient’s perspective in the process. 
'How Could We Fail so Miserably?' Real-World Evidence Offers Sobering Reality 
We are doing an unconscionably poor job of delivering appropriate targeted therapies to our patients. That's the only conclusion I can draw, based on a recent report by Foundation Medicine and Flatiron Health.
The analysis used "real-world evidence" of cancer outcomes—in this case, among patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing.
Measles and Mumps and Rubella, Oh My!
It started a couple of weeks ago, as the number of measles cases in the U.S., and more specifically in New York, and more specifically in Brooklyn, started to climb.
More and more conversations were taking place in the exam rooms, in the hallways, on the telephone, in the patient portal, and even on e-mail and texts. Do I need a measles vaccine?
‘Who’s going to take care of these people?’
The hospital had already transferred out most of its patients and lost half its staff when the CEO called a meeting to take inventory of what was left. Employees crammed into Tina Steele’s office at Fairfax Community Hospital, where the air conditioning was no longer working and the computer software had just been shut off for nonpayment.
Study Verifies Value of Real-World Evidence
To demonstrate the potential of real-world evidence generated from real-world data, Foundation Medicine and Flatiron Health teamed up to create a large-scale clinico-genomic database. The database, which links clinical and genomic data gathered from patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated in community practices, was validated in a recent study.

Passion + Quality = Change That Matters
  
I embrace the powerful opportunities in our evolving health care landscape. I founded Momentum Health Strategies to be a catalyst for change through continuous learning, diverse engagement and thoughtful policy and practice initiatives. I deliver innovative, strategic thinking and a passion for improving the patient experience. My personal drive and dedication to high-quality results will help you navigate the competitive terrain you face and convert your vision to action.

Momentum Health Strategies

Jennifer L Bright, MPA
(703) 628 - 0534
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