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Mergers & Innovation: Measuring Performance and Patient Care

Post by Nancy E. Roman, President and CEO, PHA (@nancyroman1)

Image of a doctor in a lab coat holding a tray of fruits and vegetables.

My dear friend Nancy Mitchell burned her wrist badly taking a roasted chicken out of the oven. The roasting pan fell on her arm and seared the skin to the bone. She went to the Duke Burn Center – one of the top burn centers in the world.

She’s a swimmer, so her primary concern was how quickly she would be able to get back in the pool. Her doctor treated the burn and then told her that from this point forward, the single most important determinant in the speed of her healing would be how well she ate.

Lots of vegetables. Lean meats – plenty of protein.

Despite the treatment the physician provided, food would determine the pace of her healing.

We now know that food and nutrition determines a child’s brain development. It also determines the likelihood of getting diabetes and heart disease, and as FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb shared last month, nutrition even impacts the probability of getting cancer.

At PHA, we believe healthy innovation and market disruption are necessary to make nutritious food and safe play more accessible to American families. In fact, we believe that innovation is the foundation for the revolution to raise a healthier generation of children – and that working toward this common goal propels companies forward in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace. Our focus is to bring solutions to some of the toughest challenges facing the industry today knowing that no single business model or sector are off-limits to a raw burst of change - whether it be using food as medicine or merger and acquisitions.

In fact, we’ve seen a surge in healthy innovation. Within the last year, CVS purchased Aetna, Amazon purchased Whole Foods, and meal kit delivery services have raked in $5 billion in sales, up $1.5 billion from last year, with consumers continuing to buy into the idea of healthier, but quick, meal prep.

As we continue to vote with our wallet and demand more from food manufacturers and retailers alike, I witness how this channeled demand can ignite opportunities to create healthier environments for everyone. And these opportunities are essential to create an environment where food is seen as a cure, as well as a moment for businesses to create sustainable business solutions that not only meet consumer demand, but unlock its own business growth and innovation.


Hear more from PHA’s CEO & President and other top experts at Mergers & Innovation: Measuring Performance and Patient Care on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 an event dedicated to discussing how mergers, acquisitions and innovation are poised to create a significant shift in the delivery of patient care. Panelist include Nancy E. Roman, PHA President & CEO; Mark Colin, President and General Manager of 3M Health Information Systems; Eric D. Hargan, Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services; Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Member, Senate HELP Committee; Rep Gene Greene (D-TX), Ranking Member, House Energy & Commerce, Subcommittee on Health, and more. Follow @PHAnews on Twitter for live tweets from the event. To register or learn more visit https://mergersinnovation.splashthat.com. Hosted by The Hill.