Meet John Adlesich and some of his health industry thoughts on healthcare industry trends in 2021: Cooperative competition, or coopetition, is a key trend in health care. While some providers view big-box stores, nationwide pharmaceutical chains and other new entrants as threats, other organizations see opportunity. Their strategy is to leverage the capabilities of these power players to lower the cost of care, increase downstream market capture and focus on core specialty services while remaining highly connected to the patient. Offload financially draining services. Organizations like CVS and Walmart now offer basic primary care, simple diagnostic services and chronic disease management — services that health systems have struggled to provide and do so profitably. Identifying opportunities to partner with retail organizations to fill this gap can help simplify organizational services, increase access and provide better patient care at a lower cost.

John Adlesich about behavior therapy in 2021: The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) indicates that Applied Behavioral Analysis techniques: Are effective for eliminating challenging behaviors such as stereotypies, hitting, biting or self-harm Can promote socially significant behaviors like reading, communication, engaging in eye contact, and social interaction Must be developed by a professional trained and certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), but can be carried out by other, non-certified technicians under the professional’s supervision Are time consuming and intense – usually implemented 40 or more hours per week, although in brief time spans Provide one-to-one interaction and learning, which is thought to be a highly effective component of the therapy Can be utilized by parents and other caregivers cooperatively within the treatment paradigm, although parents may need support and training to utilize effectively.

John Adlesich about healthcare industry trends: Democratic control in the Senate will also impact healthcare. For example, Washington state Senator Patty Murray will chair the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. She has advocated for a more robust federal response on COVID-19. And Senator Ron Wyden, Oregon, leads the Finance Committee and has pushed for drug pricing reform and drug price negotiation. These appointments and nominations point to a strong emphasis on COVID-19 recovery and vaccine distribution and coordination. For example, Fauci remains as the Director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, and there’s now a COVID-19 data director (Shahpar), indicating this administration will emphasize data and reporting. Also evident in these appointments is a Biden administration focus on health equity and healthcare disparities—particularly with Nunez-Smith as the first Equity Task Force Chair for COVID-19. John Adlesich currently works as administrator at Marquis Companies. His latest healthcare industry experience includes positions as executive director at Powerback Rehabilitation Lafayette (Genesis Healthcare) between Aug 2020 – Jan 2021, administrator at Mesa Vista of Boulder between Mar 2019 – Aug 2020, chief executive officer at Sedgwick County Memorial Hospital between Jul 2018 – Feb 2019, interim chief operating officer at Toiyabe Indian Health Project between Mar 2018 – Jun 2018.

John Adlesich believes that 2021 is an important year for the health industry. While a balanced approach is important, there is no question that US-based sources for many products are lacking to non-existent. To remedy this imbalance, we may see tax incentives and low-cost loans that would enable American manufacturers to invest in new automation technologies, to help level the playing field with overseas companies that have access to cheap labor and fewer regulatory barriers. There may also be new requirements that government purchasers such as the Veteran’s Administration and Department of Defense purchase at least a portion of the medical products they use from domestic suppliers. More, too, should be done to incent our health care providers to purchase domestically. Such moves would go a long way to creating the demand necessary for added domestic investments. When added incentives are required, the private sector will continue to step in to reward manufacturers that place a premium on geographic diversity for their supply chains. For instance, after learning that 90 percent of all face masks were produced in China, leaving the US highly susceptible to shortages, Premier and 16 leading health systems pooled resources to take a minority stake in Prestige Ameritech, one of the nation’s only domestic producers of face masks and other personal protective equipment. In exchange for the cash infusion and long-term purchasing commitments, the company is now making 3.5 million masks per month that it ordinarily would have had little incentive to make. In November, we followed that initiative with a partnership with 34 members to invest in DeRoyal Industries for the domestic production of isolation gowns that have increasingly been difficult to find.