In this episode, we look to the far horizon, thinking about healthcare's fast-changing future and listening to industry insiders as they spotlight three major catalysts transforming care.

Kate Brown, the leader of Mercer’s Center for Health Innovation, delivers an outlook and overview of virtual first care, its growth, and the diverse array of telehealth and digital solutions entering the market. In the discussion with host Dr. Nina Birnbaum, medical director for Innovation Acceleration at Blue Shield of California, Kate details the unprecedented growth of virtual first care, highlighting how it might evolve in a post-pandemic world and what employers can do to streamline the wave of telehealth and digital solutions. After listening, visit this link to learn more about Mercer’s Center for Health Innovation.

The cost of medications has skyrocketed and pharmacists are still filling prescriptions behind the counter instead of being used for their expertise to help patients at the point of care. In this episode, Dr. Edward Fotsch, CEO and founder of Gemini Health shares his perspectives with Salina Wong, Senior Director of Clinical Pharmacy Programs at Blue Shield of California, on how the industry can crack the code on drug cost savings through price transparency with lower cost alternatives, the critical role pharmacists can play as part of the overall care team, and the need for more competition to help reduce healthcare costs.