Advice for CEOs

In a previous article, I described an example of changes in healthcare delivery that can help get America past the stale debate over Obamacare toward innovation to improve healthcare while reducing its cost. What is being called “telemedicine” or “telehealth” is a potentially radical shift in how healthcare is delivered. It combines remote monitoring of patient health, remote access to doctors to overcome the barrier of distance and portable medical records and profiles.

The debate over the future of healthcare in America often seems locked in a tired zero sum game. Either you are in favor of Obamacare or against it. Either we improve the quality of care or reduce its cost. My colleagues in the Healthcare practice of Newport Board Group think otherwise. We advise healthcare innovators and the private equity firms that invest in healthcare businesses. We believe that technology and new business models can transform how healthcare is thought of and delivered, improving quality and reducing cost.

While there may be few issues that both political parties in the United States can agree on, over the last two decades nearly every politician and pundit has stressed the importance of returning U.S. jobs.

Part One of this article discussed how emerging and mid-market companies often need to raise growth capital, attract an M&A or private equity deal, or boost profitability and capital readiness for other reasons. Most management teams know their ability to generate cash flow will be scrutinized as an indicator of potential to generate future returns by investors, acquirers and banks alike.

Dwight Eisenhower once said, "In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." This quote is one of the best aphorisms a business owner can have.