Publications

September 2008
Background Note

Background on the Technology of Molecular Diagnostics

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Jason Sanders

To be used as background reading for the "EXACT Sciences Corp.: Commercializing a Diagnostic Test" and "Diagnostic Genomics" cases, HBS nos. 308-090 and 309-040. View Details

Keywords: Health Testing and Trials; Technology; Biotechnology Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

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March 2008
Case

The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Alfred Martin

The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta wishes to expand beyond Georgia. The factors influencing this decision are discussed, including drug treatments currently available, and the impact of future drugs in the FDA pipeline as well as financing issues. View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Financing and Loans; Health Care and Treatment; Health Disorders; Medical Specialties; Expansion; Health Industry; Atlanta

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January 2008 (Revised August 2012)
Case

Retail Sales of Health Insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Grady Clouse

The BCBS of Florida is contemplating whether to enter the consumer-driven health care market and if so, whether to target such groups—and individuals—and in which of its geographic markets, and how. View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Nonprofit Organizations; Strategy; Insurance; Insurance Industry; Florida

April 2005 (Revised August 2012)
Supplement

MedCath Corporation (B)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Louisa Neissa

Supplements the (A) case. A rewritten version of an earlier case. View Details

Keywords: Medical Specialties; Market Entry and Exit; Service Delivery; Conflict and Resolution; Horizontal Integration; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

August 2003 (Revised August 2024)
Case

Fighting the Battle of the Bulge—Evaluating Do Good/Do Well Innovations in Morbid Obesity Treatment

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and John McDonough

Many health care innovations appear successful; but fail. This is the first case in the Innovating Health Care course that investigates how to create successful health care innovations. It is part of the first module in the course. This module focuses on how to... View Details

Keywords: Three Pillars; Industry Analysis; Health Care and Treatment; Innovation and Invention; Innovation and Management; Medical Specialties; Health Industry

July 1, 2018
Editorial

The IRS Can Save American Health Care: Letting Workers Spend Pretax Dollars on Insurance Would Do a Lot—Without Requiring Congress to Act

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Joel Klein

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Article

Europe's Alternative to Medicare for All: Swiss and Dutch Private Insurance Provide Better Coverage Than Canada's Single-Payer System

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Bacchus Barua

An analysis of Canada’s single-payer healthcare system shows the dangers of the proposed Medicare for All model. In fact, the Canadian healthcare system is costly and drives poor outcomes when compared to objective performance measures. Alternatively, the Swiss and... View Details

Keywords: Healthcare Systems; Universal Health Coverage; Health Care and Treatment; Insurance; Canada; Switzerland; Netherlands

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January 2, 2020
Article

Medicare for All or Public Option: Can Either Heal Health Care?

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and James Wallace

The United States has serious health care problems: More than 27 million uninsured people, costs that are growing faster than income, and a staggering $37 trillion of unfunded liabilities in the Medicare program. Perhaps most alarming: The US ranks lowest among... View Details

Keywords: Healthcare; Public Option; Medicare; Health Care and Treatment; Insurance; Cost Management; Problems and Challenges; United States

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October 1995
Case

Ending the Fishing Expedition: The Use of Real-Time MRI in Surgery

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Ann Winslow

Keywords: Health; Innovation and Invention; Health Industry

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April 1995 (Revised August 1995)
Supplement

Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield (F)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Ramona Hilgenkamp

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Insurance Industry; Health Industry

March 2010 (Revised May 2010)
Case

Boston Scientific Corporation (A)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Charlie Attlan

Boston Scientific Corporation just bought Guidant at a record breaking price to expand their cardiovascular franchise. They need to rationalize their product portfolio to make the acquisition work. What should they sell and why? View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Decision Choices and Conditions; Growth and Development; Product Marketing; Product Development; Franchise Ownership; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

August 2006 (Revised August 2012)
Background Note

Connectivity in Health Care

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Alfred Martin

This note describes the current state of information technology connectivity in the health care sector. View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Business and Government Relations; Health Industry; Information Industry

November 2003 (Revised September 2008)
Case

Circle Gastroenterology Products (A)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and James Weber

A new, minimally invasive medical device has achieved only one-third of its budget. Was the problem one of marketing strategy, sales, reimbursement, and/or clinical trials? View Details

Keywords: Health Testing and Trials; Marketing Strategy; Product Marketing; Sales; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

August 2003 (Revised September 2008)
Background Note

Note on Financing of the U.S. Health Care Sector

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Jeff Grahling

This course describes the public and private sources of financing of the U.S. health-care sector,and identifies the characteristics of insurance policies, their costs, the structure of the insurance industry, and the role of consultants and brokers. The insurance... View Details

Keywords: Economic Sectors; Financing and Loans; Insurance; Industry Structures; Health Industry; Insurance Industry; United States

August 2003 (Revised August 2006)
Case

HealthSouth Corporation

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Ivan Cheung

Delineates how a for-profit health services business was created. Focuses on sources of financing, the impact of Medicare reimbursement, and Stark laws against fraud and abuse. View Details

Keywords: Business Ventures; Finance; Health Care and Treatment; Law; Rights; Health Industry

December 10, 2024
Other Article

A New Model for Funding Healthcare Innovation

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Duke Rohlen

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October 2024
Case

Parexel: Scaling Up and Industry Dynamics

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Ben Creo

Through the lens of biopharmaceutical contract research organization (CRO) PAREXEL, this case traces the evolution of the firm as it reinvents itself in response to the transformation of the CRO sector from a small, secondary cluster of firms into a major player with... View Details

Keywords: Research; Innovation and Invention; Business Model; Transformation; Globalization; Information Technology; Competitive Advantage; Pharmaceutical Industry

January 2024
Background Note

Evaluating Innovations in the Organization of Primary Care: What Type of Innovation Is It and How Well Does It Align with the Six Factors?

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and James Wallace

How can we evaluate if innovative health care ventures can do good—benefit society—and do well—become financially viable? This question is the topic of the first module in the Innovating in Health Care course book.

This note and "Health Stop (A): What Type... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Health Care and Treatment; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Mission and Purpose; Alignment; Health Industry