Publications

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March 2015 (Revised December 2016)
Case

American Well: The DTC Decision

By: Elie Ofek and Natalie Kindred

In late 2013, telehealth company American Well, which developed a digital platform that allowed patients to conduct online medical consultations with physicians, is considering pursuing a direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy. Founded in 2006, American Well had, to date,... View Details

07 Jan 2025
Blog Post

Revolutionizing Wellness: Kate Twist (MBA 2008) Shapes the Future of Consumer Health Brands

$100mm to expand nationally, and has partnered with major retailers, developed products, launched campaigns, and digitized consumer experiences. With a passion for high-growth businesses and a commitment to helping underrepresented... View Details

March 2023 (Revised June 2025)
Case

Close Concerns: Diabetes Research and Advocacy

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Brian L. Walker

Diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 18, Kelly Close understood the importance of balancing consistency and iteration. This principle had also informed her professional work, which started with a rapid promotion from financial analyst at Goldman Sachs to an analyst... View Details

Keywords: Diabetes; Health; Health Care; Health Care And Treatment; Health Care Outcomes; Health Care Industry; Knowledge Dissemination; Outcome or Result; Equality and Inequality; Business Model; Entrepreneurship

September 2014
Article

Improving the Quality of Cancer Care in America Through Health Information Technology

By: Thomas W. Feeley, George W. Sledge, Laura Levit and Patricia A. Ganz

A recent report from the Institute of Medicine titled Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis, identifies improvement in information technology (IT) as essential to improving the quality of cancer care in America. The... View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Information Technology Industry; Cancer Care In The U.S.; Health; Technology; Health Industry; North and Central America

Find at Harvard

January 2014 (Revised June 2014)
Case

23andMe: Genetic Testing for Consumers (A)

By: John A. Quelch and Margaret L. Rodriguez

On November 22, 2013, the direct-to-consumer genetic testing provider, 23andMe, received a letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordering the company to halt the sale and promotion of its genetic testing kit. The FDA stated that the product was... View Details

Keywords: Public Health; Genome Testing; Health Care; Ancestry; 23andMe; Marketing; Product Launch; Health; Health Care and Treatment; Health Testing and Trials; Genetics; Strategy; Health Industry; United States

June 2024 (Revised December 2024)
Case

Lana Ghanem: Pushing the Boundaries of Health Care Through Venture Capital

By: Joshua D. Margolis and Ahmed Dahawy

Lana Ghanem, managing director of Hikma Ventures, the corporate venture arm of larger pharmaceutical group Hikma, is considering how to grow the venture arm as well as progress her own career. Over the past few years Hikma's executive team had been pressuring the... View Details

Keywords: Business Divisions; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Investment; Corporate Governance; Health Care and Treatment; Leadership Development; Business or Company Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Strategy; Venture Capital; Personal Development and Career; Health Industry; Health Industry; Jordan

17 Apr 2018
Working Paper Summaries

Digital Innovation with High Costs of Entry: Evidence from Software-Driven Medical Devices

Keywords: by Cirrus Foroughi and Ariel Dora Stern; Health; Health

01 Sep 2016
News

Case Study: Alumni Advice for a Health Care Startup

workers), who work as virtual health care assistants, handling everything from long-term care arrangements to transportation. Wellthy’s digital platform is designed as a consumer- friendly project management... View Details

Web

Women, Work, and the “M” Word - Blog: Health Supplement

Practitioners Topics Topics Biotech/pharma Care Delivery Clinical Trials Digital Health Global Health Health Care Entrepreneurship View Details

23 Apr 2014
HBS Case

Are Electronic Cigarettes a Public Good or Health Hazard?

When electronic cigarettes first appeared a little over a decade ago, they were hailed by many as a godsend: a tool to help smokers quit while mitigating the most harmful effects of tobacco. "The [e-cigarette] market is producing, at... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Food & Beverage; Advertising

May 18, 2020
Other Article

Media Bias? But Not What You Think It Is

By: Frank V. Cespedes

The media are often accused of political bias. But news outlets reflect many political beliefs in a fragmented media environment. However, an almost across-the-board bias is how news media talk about digital business, and the pandemic has exacerbated that bias, which... View Details

Keywords: Bias; Digital Business; Media; Disruption; Health Pandemics

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February 2022 (Revised February 2024)
Case

Sekisui House and the In-Home Early Detection Platform

By: John D. Macomber and Akiko Kanno

To address an aging population and sales declines, a major Japanese homebuilder considers pivoting to provide and support an in-home health detection platform, in competition with tech companies. This case considers the point of view of major builders regarding how... View Details

Keywords: Voice Assistants; Architecture; Smart Home; Aging Society; Digitalization; Real Estate; Home Automation; Sensors; Strategy; Digital Platforms; Health Care and Treatment; Housing; Age; Health Industry; Health Industry; Health Industry; Japan