NJBIZ Conversations: Cathy Bennett

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New Jersey hospitals were among the earliest landing spots for the COVID-19 outbreak, and the experience continues to shape how health care is delivered around the state. The pandemic may be over, but the fallout continues and industry leaders are working to make sure the system thrives.

One of those leaders – Cathy Bennett, the president and CEO of the New Jersey Hospital Association – recently spoke with NJBIZ about the challenges hospitals and other health care providers are facing and how the industry is evolving.

“One of the things that really surprises me is that folks don’t know that New Jersey – in terms of health care provided by hospitals – we’re about the middle of the pack in terms of affordability,” Bennett said. “Nationally, I had people thinking we’re one of the most unaffordable places, and that’s not the case. So, we’ve got this gigantic system of care that has the government involved as a player. You have insurers, you have medical devices, you have pharmaceuticals, you have primary care, and the specialists. What’s the role of hospitals? What’s the role of all the post-acute providers? And that’s just a piece of it. You know, we’re not talking about technology. We’re not talking about the supply chain. There’s a lot of components and that big conversation needs to take place, because I think one of the things you’ll hear from all industries is that we are committed to making sure that we’ve got this great health care which New Jersey is known for.”

To watch the interview, click on the image below.

To listen, click on the podcast below.