Giving Compass' Take:

• Jessica Plante, writing for the Christensen Institute, discusses three ways to innovate the healthcare system, focusing on accessibility, physician burnout, and patient-centered care.

• How can donors support these ideas for innovation? What would you like to see change in the healthcare system?

• Read these insights into effective health funding. 


Welcome to 2020. It’s a new year. It’s a new decade. And yet healthcare—while in many ways moving forward—seems to be stuck at a crossroads. Compared to other countries, the US continues to have the highest spending and some of the worst outcomes.

With the beginning of the new decade, it’s the perfect time for a fresh start. Healthcare must better address the needs of everyone, especially the patients themselves, while also working to cut the high cost of care. As we move forward in this decade and seek to build a better healthcare system, here are guiding principles innovators should follow.

  1.  Make the healthcare system needs more accessible.  One of the biggest hurdles in American healthcare is its complexity, which contributes to Americans’ lack of health literacy. The healthcare system is, admittedly, hard to understand, causing many patients to not engage with it at all.
  2. Address the physician burnout crisis.  Primary care is essential. Providers are the first line of detection for many serious physical and mental health issues, and keep patients out of costly hospitals by helping treat issues early on.
  3. Innovate with patients in mind, not prestige. Six out of ten adults in the US have at least one chronic illness, and that care accounts for the vast majority of all healthcare spending in the country. The good news? The majority of chronic illness can be managed through access to primary care and care management services.

Read the full article about innovating the healthcare system by Jessica Plante at the Christensen Institute.