1st Edition
Decoding the U.S. Healthcare System Navigating the Complex Maze of Payers, Providers, Producers, Physicians, Patients, and More
1 Introduction
ANUSH KHANDELWAL AND JOE STEVENS
2 The Healthcare Landscape
KOMAL GURNANI, ANUSH KHANDELWAL, AND JOE STEVENS
3 Patients: The Humans at the Center of Healthcare
MARIA WHITMAN, KOMAL GURNANI, KARISHMA TRIKHA, AND ANUSH KHANDELWAL
4 Payers: Corporate Giants Writing the Rules
JENNIFER TEDALDI, JENNIFER WONG, JOE STEVENS, AND ANUSH KHANDELWAL
5 Organized Providers: Patient Care at Scale
MATT RUPLE AND JOE STEVENS
6 Physicians: Mainstay of Evolving Healthcare
MARIA WHITMAN, KOMAL GURNANI, KARISHMA TRIKHA, ANUSH KHANDELWAL, AND AMUDHA SHARMA
7 Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices: The Industry of Innovation
HOWARD DEUTSCH AND JOE STEVENS
8 Intermediaries: The Glue that Holds It All Together
RICKY YUEN, SEAN SCOBELL, HARSHIL GAGNANI, AND JOE STEVENS
9 The Journey of Healthcare Data: Records to Revolution
ASHEESH SHUKLA, HIMANSHU PATNI, AND ANUSH KHANDELWAL
10 The Costs and Challenges of Reform
ANUSH KHANDELWAL AND JOE STEVENS
11 Reflections on the Road Ahead
JOE STEVENS AND ANUSH KHANDELWAL
Biography
Joe Stevens is a leading expert in commercializing pharmaceutical and medical technologies that fill unmet clinical needs and improve patient outcomes. His work focuses on helping companies understand complex market dynamics, develop value strategies, and design commercial models to engage effectively with life sciences’ organized customers. Joe is a principal in the ZS San Francisco office and leads the firm’s pharmaceutical market trends and policy analysis team.
Anush Khandelwal is a global market access expert who advises pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations on strategies to improve patient access and enhance affordability. His work focuses on payer and provider strategy, managed care and commercial insights, data-driven analytics, and digital transformation to help life sciences companies deliver impact. Anush is a principal in the ZS Pune office and a leader in business-to-business access and value realization practice.
“This book is a practical and timely guide for anyone trying to understand the US healthcare system, including career switchers looking to enter the field, professionals seeking a better understanding of their customers and suppliers, and patients navigating a confusing landscape.” David Ridley, Faculty Director, Center for Health Sector Management, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business
“This book provides great insights into current complexity of interactions and likely future developments under influence of cost pressures and AI opportunities. A must read!” Ed Schoonveld, Author, The Price of Global Health
“From negotiating payer contracts to scaling specialty services, this book delivers the contextual intelligence every health executive needs to make informed, strategic decisions —and why alignment matters.” Jorge J. García, Assistant Vice President, System Oncology Pharmacy Services, Baptist Health South Florida
“A must-read for anyone involved in healthcare. By illuminating the priorities and pain points of each key player, this book paves the way for meaningful collaboration and better patient outcomes.” Shweta Sahani, Associate Director, Market Access Analytics, Johnson & Johnson Innovate Medicine
“The book offers a compelling narrative of how healthcare data has evolved, from paper to digital, from silos to emerging ecosystems, and why we must accelerate integration to realize its full value.” Jennifer Mueller, Senior Vice President, American Health Information Management Association
