VativoRx sent a full team to HCAA Executive Forum ’22 in Las Vegas in February 2022. It was great to connect with friends new and old and to have our brains exploded a few times by the presenters.

On the last day in particular, two speakers – Marshall Allen and Galen Emanuele – stood out and left us with great ideas about how to approach the business of helping companies, their employees and their families to save on healthcare in general and prescription medicine in particular.

Marshall Allen is a journalist who has focused for years on teaching healthcare consumers to be aware of what they’re paying for their care and to equip them with the knowledge to fight back when appropriate.

At the HCAA Executive Forum, Allen spoke about how informed patients can avoid unnecessary care, stay away from high priced hospitals and other providers, and examine and contest medical bills for inaccuracies and overcharges. With each health care interaction, patients can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars if they are informed and on the alert. And when the patients save, their health plans save. Employers and employees can work together to lower health care costs.

To get a sense of how Marshall Allen approaches this topic, this recent interview is eye-opening. 

The very last event of the Forum was a keynote from former improv artist Galen Emanuele, who urges businesses to follow the one unbreakable rule of improv: Always try to say, “Yes. And…”

Resisting the urge to say “no” in business and to always try to say “yes” is central to Galen Emanuele’s advice to companies working to build successful and productive teams. Through hands-on learning, and tangible takeaways we experienced the impact that establishing a behavior-based culture has on team engagement, individual performance, and the ability to attract and retain top talent. By the end, there were few eye-rollers or non-believers left in the room.

Here’s a brief glimpse of what working with Galen is like:

Overall, HCAA Executive Forum ’22 was an outstanding gathering of people dedicated to making healthcare more accessible and affordable. We head home with our heads and notebooks full of excellent and actionable ideas.