Is Big Healthcare a Net Positive or Net Negative for Society?
We hear this all the time: in the news, online, and during interviews with healthcare professionals. We hear that large healthcare conglomerates are causing extreme damage to society. People cite things like: delayed authorizations, denied care, reducing provider reimbursement or payment, etc. Books have been written about how Big Healthcare Became Big Business. It seems large healthcare conglomerates garner most, if not all, of the criticism for problems within the healthcare system. But one must ask the question: are large healthcare companies inherently a negative thing within the industry? Do they play a role in cost reduction and access to needed healthcare services?
This week, I talk a little bit about this idea of large healthcare corporations and whether they’re a net negative or a net positive for society as a whole. I also discuss what small healthcare business owners should think about when it comes to running their businesses planning for the future.
What we cover in this Episode:
- Value-Drivers in a healthcare business
- Understanding the role that large healthcare companies play in the industry
- The problems with a Fee For Service system in healthcare
- Maintaining Human Connection within the healthcare space
- How the incentives in today’s healthcare environment lead to clinician burnout and wasted time
- Understanding the savings flow in industries like healthcare
- Achieving Better Outcomes by leveraging scale and savings to improve access and affordability for patients
We post videos of certain podcast episodes, including this episode, which can find on the YouTube Channel.
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For More:
Join Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi), principal of Rehab U Practice Solutions and host of The Better Outcomes Show as he explores the possibilities of a new healthcare. Guests range from clinicians trying new techniques and treatments to executives and entrepreneurs exploring new technology, innovative service delivery methods, business models, and organizational structures. Grab a copy of the book: Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare. Or, hire Rafi to speak at your organization or event.
Are You Ready to Take Your Healthcare Business to the Next Level?
If you run an innovative healthcare company and are looking to develop a strategy that drives business in the form of qualified leads and sales, reach out. I’d love to talk with you about how I can help help you craft a business development strategy that leverages positioning, market research, stakeholder alignment to drive business development strategy for specific healthcare stakeholders.
Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi) is a healthcare consultant, speaker, and host of he Better Outcomes Show. He helps healthcare startups, SaaS platforms, and organizations craft clear positioning, humanize the patient experience, and go to market effectively. He’s the author of Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare and principal at Rehab U Practice Solutions. His work on Telehealth has been discussed in Forbes, and he’s advised on projects ranging from digital health product launches to multi-million-dollar healthcare transformation initiatives.
Today, Rafi helps innovative healthcare companies like technology startups, platforms, SaaS companies & innovative healthcare organizations develop effective positioning strategy and business development plans through his consulting work. He also leverages his experience as a professor and academic to speak and train on the topics around humanizing the healthcare experience & healthcare innovation. In addition, Rafi also owns and operates ProActive Rehabilitation & Wellness, a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic treating patients with musculoskeletal pain.
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Work With Me

Are you building something innovative in healthcare—like a digital health product, service, or platform that’s aiming to truly improve the patient experience?
I help healthcare startups, SaaS platforms, and forward-thinking provider organizations develop clear positioning strategies, identify high-value offers, and build go-to-market plans that actually resonate with both users and buyers.
Whether you're launching a new product, scaling an existing service, or navigating digital transformation, I bring 12+ years of experience across clinical operations, healthcare innovation, and strategic development.
How I help:
- Clarify your product/service positioning so customers “get it”
- Align your offer with real market needs
- Build a Digital Health Roadmap to scale your healthcare organization effectively
- Support business development with industry-informed strategy
I’ve consulted on projects from multi-million-dollar state initiatives to early-stage product launches. My work’s been featured in Forbes, and I also speak at healthcare events and conferences on topics like innovation, digital health, and humanizing care. I also speak and train at healthcare conferences, events, and organizations on topics related to technology-enabled care, healthcare innovation, healthcare positioning, and humanizing the healthcare experience.
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