This Week's Herman Trend Alert Cyberbullying---a Growing Problem

The Herman Trend Alert September 16, 2009 Healthcare Reform As the United States thinks about healthcare reform, it seemed appropriate to look at ways to reduce medical costs without sacrificing quality of care. Some of the leading edge healthcare solutions are clearly non-traditional. They include "disruptive healthcare innovations, such as medical tourism, retail clinics, medical homes, alternative and integrated medicine, and cyber visits. To help employers capitalize on these potential cost-reducing innovations, the consulting firm Deloitte LLP created the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. For a while now, we have heard about the tremendous cost advantages of "medical tourism", traveling abroad to receive superior medical, dental and cosmetic care at what are characterized as "state-of-the-art medical facilities" throughout the world at a fraction of the cost of US, UK, or Canadian healthcare systems. In 2006 alone, more than 750,000 US citizens left the country to find less expensive medical treatments. That number is projected to grow to six million by next year, potentially saving US employers billions of dollars. Healthbase is one of the leading providers for direct access to US-, UK-, and internationally trained physicians performing over 300 different procedures at major accredited hospitals in Southeast Asia, Turkey, Belgium, Hungary, and certain countries in Central and South America, (particularly Brazil). However, the latest trend is similar to Lakeshoring (as opposed to Off-Shoring), that is finding good facilities in lower cost domestic markets, so that the patient does not need to travel to a foreign country to have a particular procedure. One of the leaders in domestic medical tourism is a company called Healthplace America which has saved its clients hundreds of thousands of dollars by helping to relocate the medical procedure to a lower-cost market within the US, saving up to 75 percent of the cost of having the procedure closer to home. US medical facilities are willing to be paid less because they are generally compensated upfront. Paying them before the procedures are conducted enables them to avoid the arduous task of seeking reimbursement afterward from insurers and third-party administrators. Expect to see employers and others looking for non-traditional, yet effective ways to deliver healthcare smarter and less expensively. (Other innovations like retail clinics and cyber visits will be addressed in subsequent Herman Trend Alerts.) © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." DISCOVER WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON... in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. MOM ALWAYS TAUGHT IT WAS GOOD TO SHARE You have probably subscribed to The Herman Trend Alert for a while now and you know how valuable it is to you. Why not suggest that your friends sign up at http://www.hermantrendalert.com? Join the thousands who subscribe in 87 countries around the globe. Are there particular topics you'd like to see covered? Let us know and we will research "The Future of. . .". And let us know how else we may serve you? E-mail: joyce@hermangroup.com. YOUR EMPLOYEES NEED THEIR LEADERS MORE THAN EVER Help your leaders to excel. Thousands have used our weekly Lessons in Leadership to help their supervisors and managers remember how to hold onto top talent. The 52-week subscription is only $47, a bargain when you think about the savings to your organization in reduced turnover. Quantity discounts available by emailing Carol at carol@hermangroup.com. Order today at: http://www.hermangroup.com/store/subscription_all.html#3. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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