Healthcare: Confronting Disparities

What’s behind the $3.4 trillion America spends each year on healthcare? Renowned journalist T.R. Reid, a popular speaker at NH Business Review’s 2011 Health Care Forum, will address the factors behind this enormous figure at NH Business Review’s Healthcare: Confronting Disparities event.

Author of the best-selling book “The Healing of America,” Reid has taken an in-depth examination of the U.S. healthcare system, a topic he frequently discusses on NPR’s Morning Edition. His latest film, “U.S. Health Care: The Good News” (join us for a free screening and discussion of this documentary on Sept. 20) premiered on the national PBS network in 2012, and is still being broadcast by local PBS affiliates. His other two PBS Frontline documentaries, “Sick Around the World” and “India—A Second Opinion,” reveal how other countries manage healthcare.

Following, Reid’s insight into the national healthcare system, Dr. Joanne Conroy, CEO and president of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and recently named one of the “Most Influential People in Healthcare 2018” by Modern Healthcare magazine, will share her on-the-ground perspective of how hospital systems have been innovating the delivery of care since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2009. Dr. Conroy will also discuss the changing marketplace for employers and what they might be able to expect as changes continue to take shape.

Beth Roberts, senior vice president of commercial business at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, will elaborate on the discussion by providing the regional perspective on the health insurance market as well as insights into the overall healthcare landscape in New England and what that means for New Hampshire businesses and employees.

Event Agenda

7:30 a.m. Registration opens, networking breakfast

8:00 a.m. Opening Remarks

8:15 – 9 :15 a.m. Keynote Speaker: T.R. Reid, Journalist, author and healthcare expert

9:15 – 9:30 a.m. Break

9:30 – 10:00 a.m. Speaker: Joanne Conroy, CEO & President, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Speaker: Beth Roberts, SVP, Commercial Business, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care

10:30 a.m. Closing Remarks

Keynote Speaker: T.R. Reid, renowned journalist, author and healthcare expert 

T. R. Reid has become one of the nation's best-known reporters through his reporting for the Washington Post, authored works and light-hearted commentaries on NPR's Morning Edition.

Reid was launched into a national role, describing ways to provide health coverage for every American, after his 2009 best-seller book, “The Healing of America.” PBS Frontline made two documentaries, “Sick Around the World” and “India — A Second Opinion” following Reid as he did the reporting for that book.

In 2012, his film, "U.S. Health Care: The Good News" premiered on the national PBS network, and is still being broadcast by local PBS affiliates. Reid continues to focus on health care, currently serving as a member of the board of the Health Research and Education Trust, among other community and educational institutions.

Guest Speaker: Joanne M. Conroy, MD,  CEO & President, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Joanne Mather Conroy, MD, was selected as the chief executive officer and president of Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health by the Board of Trustees on June 14, 2017.

Dr. Conroy comes to Dartmouth-Hitchcock from a position as CEO of Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, MA. In this role, she drove the clinical integration strategy for the hospital, expanded its educational and research programs and strengthened the organization’s operational infrastructure and facilities to support the overall objectives of Lahey Health.

She received her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire and was the recipient of a Robert Sloan scholarship from Singer Corporation. Dr. Conroy received her medical degree from MUSC, where she completed her residency in anesthesiology, serving as chief resident for one year.

Dr. Conroy is board certified with the American Board of Anesthesiologists, attained a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Pain Management, and is a diplomate with the American Academy of Pain Management.

Guest Speaker: Beth Roberts, Senior VP of Commercial Business, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care

Beth is responsible for Harvard Pilgrim’s commercial performance and growth within four regional markets: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, providing strategic direction and ensuring direct accountability from each regional VP. She oversees the areas of Sales, Sales Operations, Network Development and Product Optimization. To achieve outcomes most beneficial for Harvard Pilgrim's customers, Beth leads ongoing efforts to strengthen the company's existing business partnerships while seeking additional opportunities for strategic collaboration.

She is also a board member of Benevera Health, Harvard Pilgrim’s joint venture with New Hampshire partner hospitals dedicated to improving the state’s population health.

As a Harvard Pilgrim ambassador, Beth speaks frequently at various forums on the topic of healthcare and serves as chairperson for The RiverWoods Group, a nationally-accredited, charitable retirement community.

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