When things were simpler and health care was about the people.
10/22/2022
Once upon a time, there was a promising business concept aimed at establishing the “Safety and Medical Effectiveness” of various drugs or medical treatment options using clinical data, ethical processes, and an exchange of monetary value based on results. That business concept was called “SME Health Systems”
The founders planned to help parties (health plans, hospital systems or doctors’ offices, or pharmaceutical and device companies) to collaborate under various contract or project arrangements to develop a common understanding of the best practices in complex medical or health challenges, including costs, quality, value, and safety. Elegant technology systems were built and deployed; discussions with stakeholders were held and marketing was underway.
Part of the technology system was a bit of a “dating site” for the parties to meet each other, consider collaboration opportunities and to communicate confidentially. This was called the “Health Engagement Hub”.
And then, without warning, the world went berserk.
There was a shift in how everything worked:
- Courteous professional debate and deliberation was discouraged;
- The reliability of the data seemed to degrade and was sometimes notably manipulated.
- Worse, a reliance on the integrity of some of the players and regulators could not be assured.
Based on these factors, SME Health Systems is currently in a hibernation stage, waiting to reconstitute.
This page represents a well-worn bookmark to that big dream, for a future generation, when ethics and trust are restored. When the common man can rely once again on the decency of company executives, administrators and regulatory managers. When doctors have regained the trust of patients. When health care, once again, is not about the money but the people. When a person’s data is secure and the art of medical practice replaces the stiffness of protocol.
Thank you to those who helped and shared the dream. You know who you are. I hope that the climate transforms to something beautiful again, as it was when I was a young girl in a red moo-moo in a blurry old photograph.
Until then, my friends, be well and love each other.
Sincerely,
Terri Bernacchi, PharmD, MBA