May 8, 2023

Risant Health captures national attention

Creation of new nonprofit and pending acquisition of Geisinger Health advances our commitment to value-based care.

The announcement of Risant Health captured national media attention.

Kaiser Foundation Hospitals’ announcement of the creation of Risant Health and its pending acquisition of Geisinger Health has captured the attention and interest of health care leaders and major news media across the nation.

The reaction has been excitement and enthusiasm, and maybe even a little envy among some health care leaders.

Tens of millions of Americans learned of the leadership role Kaiser Permanente is taking in advancing its mission and commitment to value-based care. More than 140 separate news articles and broadcast stories have run since the announcement was made on April 26. 2023.

Nearly 400 media outlets published the joint press release with Geisinger Health. Notable national and trade media coverage has included The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Modern Healthcare, Forbes, MarketWatch, STAT News, Becker's Hospital Review, and Healthcare Finance News. There was also extensive regional coverage, especially in every major media market in Pennsylvania. Highlights include:

 

The creation of Risant Health represents an opportunity for Kaiser, which had $95 billion in revenue last year, to become an even bigger and more influential organization by working with other hospital groups and health plans. The formation of the company is also a response to the rapid changes taking place in the health care industry. Large for-profit companies like health insurers, pharmacy chains and other corporations are scooping up physician practices and urgent care centers and devouring more of the country’s health care dollars.

— The New York Times

‘Kaiser knows how to bring those pieces together and has been doing that for its entire history,’ said Chas Roades, co-president of Gist Healthcare, a consulting firm owned by industry advisers Kaufman Hall. Mr. Roades said he expects a number of hospital systems would probably be eager to join Risant, because of Kaiser’s resources and expertise in managing patients’ health and the cost of care. ‘This puts them in the conversation with UnitedHealth and CVS Health in terms of developing a national care platform,’ he said.

— The Wall Street Journal

We were all so focused on what will be the next healthcare move of Amazon, Microsoft, and Google that we never saw Risant Health coming!

— Vikas Chowdhry, Founder, TraumaCare.AI

Risant (will be) a 'repository of knowledge,' with potential for its member health systems to work toward a common goal of lower costs and better access to care.

— Kevin Holloran, Senior Director, Fitch Ratings

 

Just as important, the announcement changed the conversation about health care. Because of Kaiser Permanente’s focus on value-based care and the expected impact Risant Health will have to promote and expand it, there was a 585% increase in social media conversations mentioning value-based care compared to the prior week. Here's some more of what the experts are saying:

 

Two of the titans of systems-based care to manage costs and drive measurable outcomes. … My optimism hopes for ripple impacts to drive more hospitals towards value.

— Brett Daniel, MD, MHA, Chief Medical Information Officer, Optum

That’s a big deal in US healthcare.

— Eric Topol, MD, Founder and Director, Scripps Research Translational Institute

The deal creates a new force in the world of value-based health care.

— The American Journal of Managed Care

Whoa! Kaiser is one of the nation’s leading healthcare organizations structured to reduce costs and improve outcomes. Geisinger is one of the most technologically innovative health systems in the US — driving tons of research. Love to see what comes of this.

— Michael Mina, MD, PhD,
Chief Science Officer, eMed

The Kaiser-Geisinger partnership creates an enabling path for health systems to move down the journey to value-based care. For me, it was a really exciting development. ... I think there are only wins in this for patients.

— Linda Finkel, Chief Executive Officer, AVIA