Larry Weber talks with Harvard Pilgrim CEO Charlie Baker

Posted May 20th, 2009 by Rose

On this week’s Market Edge podcast, Larry Weber discussed the future of health plans with Charlie Baker, President and CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

Charlie has taken to engaging the health care audience with his blog, Let’s Talk Health Care. He is one of few health care executives to keep his own blog – writing and responding to all comments. Charlie admitted that at times, blogging is hard work, but he is committed to taking the “namelessness and facelessness” out of the health care industry.

Larry and Charlie zeroed in on transparency, one of the key topics on Charlie’s blog. He explained to Larry that information on the health care industry is limited, and he hopes that in the future, industry leaders will adopt a “more is better” philosophy (despite roadblocks in compliance and industry regulations).

Larry and Charlie both agreed that as this generation of internet savvy individuals grows up, the information they are seeking will need to grow with them. In the future, patients may be able to look for advice from physicians in other parts of the country from home. But, Charlie mentioned, doctors are still wary about dispensing advice to patients without a face to face meeting.

Charlie on social media: “I think it is a very effective and interesting way to learn what other people are thinking about you and your industry…There are huge opportunities for particular parts of your constituents to engage in conversations with you and each other if you bring them into the dialogue, and it costs nothing.”

Listen to the full conversation here.

Entry Filed under: CEO, Podcasts