Live at HLTH: Connectivity for A Better Healthcare Experience—featuring Thom Bales and Patty Obermaier

About Thom Bales:Thom is a Principal in Strategy&, a part of the PwC network. He leads PwC’s Health Services Sector with responsibility for our payer-provider and digital health growth. He has over 20 years of management consulting experience, originally with Booz Allen Hamilton/ Booz & Company merged with PwC to become Strategy&. He has expertise in health services growth, operations, technology strategy, and transformation. He has co-authored several articles including the industry-leading viewpoint “5 PMPM Healthplan”, “PwC’s Next In Health, 2022” and managing change and the investment bulge as well as a co-host of PwC’s Health 180 Forums.Thom’s past work has included capabilities-based growth strategy, technology-enabled business, and cost transformations, payer-provider collaboration strategy, consumer engagement strategies, as well as assessment of merger, acquisitions, and divestitures for his clients. He has led some of the largest business-led payer technology transformations and growth programs in the industry in the past 10 years.Thom earned his M.B.A. with high distinction at the University of Michigan; MS, Chemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology; and BA Chemistry, BA Economics, Cornell University.About Patty Obermaier:As Vice President of Microsoft US Health and Life Sciences business, Patty is responsible for growing Microsoft's solutions, services, and support revenues across enterprise health customers in the United States. She leads a 950-person team and is accountable for a $5B P&L. Patty holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from the Darden School at the University of Virginia. Things You’ll Learn:During COVID, many people couldn't access virtual health because they didn't have broadband or the appropriate devices to do so.Out of 8 billion people on Earth, 4 billion do not have access to healthcare, and a billion have disabilities, 70% of which can't be seen.The average family in the United States has a family income of around $60,000 of which roughly half does to insurance, healthcare, and out-of-pocket costs.Patients can now request their information, which has to be made available and stored for them, and they have to be able to take it with them wherever they want.Health equity is about understanding who we are as individuals, where we’re at, and what we need to get to our definition of health.Most healthcare companies are now focusing on improving patient experience.Resources:Connect with and follow Thom Bales on LinkedIn.Connect with and follow Patty Obermaier on LinkedIn.Follow Strategy& on LinkedIn.Visit the Strategy& Website!Follow PwC on LinkedIn!Explore the PwC Website!Follow Microsoft US Health and Life Sciences on LinkedIn.Discover the Microsoft US Health and Life Sciences Website.