Publications

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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

January 2023
Exercise

Identify the Health Care Venture

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and James Wallace

This case enables rapid learning of the key financial characteristics of many types of health care organizations and to diagnose their financial status. It is a surprisingly fun exercise (see the Teaching Note) accomplished by organizing groups of students that compete... View Details

Keywords: Health Care; Health Care Spending; Health Care Financing; Health Care Industry; Health Care Operations; Health Care Delivery; Health Care and Treatment; Financial Condition; Health Industry

March 2021
Supplement

Humana (C) — Reorganization

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Ashley Ifeadike

A summary of Humana's restructuring of its business around its pillars. View Details

Keywords: Health Care; Health Care Industry; Health Insurance; Health Care Operations; Health; Health Care and Treatment; Insurance; Operations; Restructuring; Health Industry

September 2, 2020
Article

How to Pay for Public Option Without Tax Hike

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Richard Boxer

A bipartisan combination of the two parties’ most popular initiatives can expand health care coverage, significantly reduce costs, and enable freedom of choice, without raising taxes. Along the way, we can revitalize competition between public and private plans. Our... View Details

Keywords: Health Insurance; Public Option; Health Care and Treatment; Insurance; Cost Management; United States

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March 2015 (Revised November 2017)
Case

Bonitas

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Natalie Kindred

Bonitas, a South African medical scheme (i.e., health insurer), must navigate highly restrictive regulations that make it difficult for Bonitas to innovate, grow, and compete with market leader Discovery as well as providers of alternative insurance products. Bonitas... View Details

Keywords: Health Insurance; Health Care; South Africa; Medical Scheme; Public Policy; Bonitas; Bonitas Medical Fund; National Health Insurance; Health; Health Care and Treatment; Insurance; Policy; Health Industry; Insurance Industry; South Africa; Johannesburg; Africa

August 2014 (Revised February 2021)
Case

Hospital for Special Surgery (A)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Stacy Schwartz

Hospital for Special Surgery, a focused factory for orthopedics and joint disease, is contemplating various growth options: further growth in the United Kingdom's National Health Services, management of hospitals in the United States, and/or hospital consulting.... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Nonprofit Organizations; Growth and Development Strategy; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Expansion; Health Industry; United Kingdom; United States

August 2014
Case

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Inc.

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Meng Li

Keywords: Health; Health Care Industry; Health Insurance; United States; Health Care and Treatment; Health Industry; United States; Florida

April 1995 (Revised August 1995)
Supplement

Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield (C)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Ramona Hilgenkamp

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Insurance Industry; Health Industry

September 2013 (Revised August 2014)
Case

Ping An Health (PAH): Towards a Comprehensive Private Health Insurance Market in China

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Da Liu

March 1993
Case

West Paces Medical Center

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Sharon Kleefield

Keywords: Health Industry

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September 2012 (Revised August 2015)
Case

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Natalie Kindred

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals (SPH), a vertically integrated Chinese pharmaceutical conglomerate, was considering its strategic options in the context of a rapidly evolving industry, policy, and economic environment. The company—essentially a collection of subsidiaries... View Details

Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Business Conglomerates; Vertical Integration; Decision Choices and Conditions; Mergers and Acquisitions; Consolidation; Health Care and Treatment; Global Strategy; State Ownership; Pharmaceutical Industry; Health Industry; Shanghai; United States; Europe

May 2012 (Revised August 2014)
Case

McKesson

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Natalie Kindred

McKesson, a large, diversified drug distribution and health care IT company, is considering development of new business offerings to help private practice physicians remain independent. The company, with $122 billion in 2010 revenues, just made its first foray into... View Details

Keywords: Health Care Industry; Health Care Policy; Organizational Transformations; Health Services; Health Care and Treatment; Business Model; Service Operations; Change Management; Corporate Strategy; Information Technology; Policy; Pharmaceutical Industry; Health Industry; United States

March 2011
Article

An Angel Investor with an Agenda

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Beatriz Muñoz-Seca

Keywords: Investment

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January 2010 (Revised August 2012)
Background Note

Note on Telemedicine

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Jillian Copeland

This note provides background in all the modalities of telemedicine. It accompanies the cases "Medtronic: Patient Management Initiative" (A) and (B), HBS Nos. 302-005 and 309-064. View Details

Keywords: Interactive Communication; Entrepreneurship; Health Care and Treatment; Technological Innovation; Information Technology; Health Industry; Telecommunications Industry

November 2003 (Revised December 2007)
Supplement

Circle Gastroenterology Products (B)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and James Weber

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Product Development; Marketing Strategy; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

August 2001 (Revised August 2012)
Case

BestDoctors, Inc.

By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Seth Bokser

Upon learning the news of a critical illness, patients and their families are shocked, saddened, fearful, and angry all at once. And just as soon as they catch their collective breath, they all ask the same question—a question that has the potential to infuse hope into... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Entrepreneurship; Health Care and Treatment; Medical Specialties; Knowledge Sharing; Demand and Consumers; Health Industry