By John N. Kastanis

It’s a wonder how health care got minimal coverage during last year’s presidential campaign. During the 2019 Democrat candidates’ debates, we got to hear Senator Elizabeth Warren’s new “Medicare for All” plan, followed by Bernie Sanders’ call for a single payor system. But after closer examination, many asked how can we expand Medicare when we can’t even afford it now due to the exorbitant costs needed to cover all residents and the estimated huge tax increases to pay for it all. During which time, Sanders’ state of Vermont abandoned in 2014 its multi-year effort to implement America’s first statewide single-payer health system. When the debates were over in early 2020, most editorials deemed these plans unworkable, while COVID-19 completely detracted our attention on how we would overcome this dreadful virus and the resulting pandemic.

By John N. Kastanis

After watching a 60 Minutes segment, aired on December 13, 2020, regarding Sutter Health’s domination of the healthcare market in northern California, I was prompted to reassess the justifications of hospital mergers and acquisitions that continue to transpire across the country.

By John N. Kastanis, FACHE, MBA

As we continue to navigate the unknowns of the current pandemic, it appears we are still a long way off from living in a true post-COVID-19 era. Only when we are equipped with the knowledge and resources needed to deal with new types of SARS viruses, including effective new treatments and vaccines, will we truly move forward. But until that time, improved health outcomes can still be realized through effective population health strategies, providing adequate financial resources are available.

by John N. Kastanis

Yet again, another book has recently been published covering the shortcomings of the current U.S. Healthcare system. But its unique approach in allowing the voice of key participants in every healthcare transaction, namely those who provide care and the ones that receive it, make it a very worthwhile read. I am referencing “Healthcare From the Trenches” by Dr. Alejandro Badia.

Health System Executive Brings Over 20 Years’ Experience, Extensive Industry Relationships, and History of Success with Provider Groups to MedSign

New York, June 23, 2020: MedSign International Corporation, a digital health technology company announced today that industry leader John N. Kastanis has been appointed to the company’s Senior Advisory Board, one of the industry’s strongest advisory boards for Telehealth solutions.

Kastanis brings to the Board significant executive experience in leading high acute, tertiary, quaternary-care and specialty hospitals with core expertise in strategic planning, governance, fund development, academic medicine, while also managing large Medicaid and Medicare patient populations.

“John is the perfect addition to our Advisory Board, and we are thrilled to have him join us in our mission in bringing Qortex to everyone”, said MedSign CEO Thomas Conroy. “John has spent years running urban-based teaching hospitals and has seen first-hand, the digital gap faced by many poor, elderly, and minority people. Quality and access to care have always been a part of John’s work and we are beyond grateful that he has seen the power of Qortex. We are honored to have him on the team”, Conroy added.