The Integrative Stream

Good Healthcare CEO Blogs, Bad Healthcare CEO Blogs

CEO blogs are arriving in the healthcare space. One of the best is by Paul Levy, at Running a Hospital. Levy is the CEO of the Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center here in Boston. The blog is informative, candid, well written, almost obsesively frequently updated, and has caused quite a stir in the Boston healthcare community. Another local CEO healthcare blogger is Charlie Baker of Harvard Pilgrim, one of the major Massachusetts health plans. He’s posted some interesting points about healthcare costs, and the discussions in the comments have been both high minded informative. I’ve met Baker in person, and he’s an engaging speaker on issues of healthcare cost; the blog is just as interesting.

Are Levy and Baker using their blogs to drive business to their respective organizations? Not really. Levy seems to be using his as much to drive change within his own hospital (and, perhaps incidentally, the wider Boston healthcare environment). I suspect the staff members appreciate his candor. Baker’s blog is newer, but people don’t make health insurance decisions based on the CEO of the health plan; it seems that what he’s trying to do is engage constructively with the larger healthcare policy debate.

I’ve learned a lot from reading those two blogs. I’ve learned nothing from Steve Case, who is trying to lead a “Revolution” at Revolution Health. He has a blog called “The Revolution Manifesto”, which contains the occasional announcement of new features and expressions of his pride in the team that’s built the web site. I’ve learned nothing from it in the several months that I’ve subscribed to the RSS feed. I’m by no means convinced that he’s actually writing it, and I certainly haven’t come away with any new insight into the healthcare industry or his company itself. If that’s your CEO blog – let alone your Manifesto – perhaps it’s better not to bother.