It’s time for our first ROI Influencers Health Care list. It’s just like the old power list we used to put together … well, except that everything has changed.
We’re at a new publication — and the health care world we cover appears to be changing just as dramatically.
A new administration in Trenton — or Washington, D.C. — often brings sweeping changes, but a perfect storm has been forming over the health care sector, threatening monumental changes.
At the federal level, the public outcry over high drug costs and the battle over health insurance is playing out interestingly in a state that used to be the medicine chest of the country.
With new players in place in some key spots, new issues are determining who has the most influence. This year, rather than a focus on traditional avenues of business, there is a notable shift in the trends, which lean toward handling the opioid crisis, health care costs, the expansion of medical marijuana, mental health and behavioral health, and addressing the health issues that are most impacting the state’s residents.
Some on our list wield influence by virtue of their platform or position, while others are masters of their trade. In some cases, we struggled with highlighting individuals in an organization and calling them more powerful than their bosses, but we decided to give credit where it is due.
Deciding No. 1 was just as difficult. It was a virtual tie for the top spot by the two largest systems in the state (as it always seems to be).
Another difficult decision? Not having nearly as many hospital system CEOs on the list. Consolidation had a lot to do with this. But it’s not the only factor.
We understand the CEOs of these systems wield great influence in their areas. After all, all health care is local. This time around, we were hoping to identify those whose influence stretched far outside their coverage area.
Since the field has become so consolidated, we had to consider outside forces making big plays in New Jersey. And there certainly are some interesting new players, as a result of the push for medical marijuana and the overall cannabusiness industry — experts and power players are popping up out of the woodwork.
The health care industry in New Jersey certainly is going through a transformation. The same can be said for our list.
But we’re confident in this: Our ROI Influencers list of the power players in the sector details it well.
Read more of the ROI Influencers:
- ROI-NJ reveals its ROI Influencers Power List 2018
- ROI-NJ reveals inaugural Real Estate Influencers list
