Holiday Reflections, Tennessee Music Legends and the Similarities Between 1980s Wall Street Innovation and HealthEC

Like most people during this season of giving, I tend to get somewhat reflective.

Surrounded by family and friends, good food and good music, it’s easy to get caught up in the holiday spirit. That is, until someone starts in on politics.

We certainly live in unusual times, and I’m sure that a number of folks are spending a fair amount of time this holiday season dissecting the ins and outs of our current political environment.

Not me. No matter which side of the political spectrum you live on, I want to enjoy your company and make new special moments and memories during the holidays, not hear about politics.  

And maybe because “Jolene” was on my Thanksgiving playlist, I can’t help but think of how music legend Dolly Parton has successfully navigated the political divide over the course of her career.

From time to time, Dolly (a fellow Tennessean, I might add) has been put on the spot and asked to chime in on political matters. She’ll likely note that her mother was a Democrat and her father was a Republican, or that she’s got just as many Democratic fans as Republican fans…So she stays out of the fray.

Same thing with Elvis Presley (another great Tennessean). The King never discussed politics.

I’m with Dolly and Elvis.

Yet, Michael Bloomberg’s Thanksgiving weekend announcement that he’s running for president got me thinking. Not about his politics, of course, but the similarities between the very early days of his company and what we’re doing here at HealthEC.

Bloomberg started his firm in the early 1980s with an ingenious product: a desktop computer that connected financial companies to a vast network of information supported by cutting-edge data analytics – transforming the securities industry with data transparency and innovative market tools.

Since HealthEC’s inception in 2012, we’ve developed a single-platform solution that connects organizations across the healthcare continuum and provides advanced analytics fueled by near real-time healthcare data. Just like Bloomberg, we are a company of innovators. Focused on using technology to usher in an era of data transparency, HealthEC is dedicated to solving today’s biggest healthcare challenges.

We also align with Bloomberg’s commitment to customer service and working tirelessly to develop new solutions to meet the ever-changing needs of clients. In addition to enhancing our care management functionality this past year, our artificial intelligence solutions are poised to make a dramatic difference for state Medicaid agencies and healthcare plans looking to address rising healthcare costs and health outcomes, particularly those associated with diabetic patient hospital readmissions.

Another similarity: backing from industry players with a clear vision about the promise of industry-disrupting technologies. Just as Merrill Lynch purchased a stake in Bloomberg in 1985, we secured a significant investment from a publicly-traded healthcare company earlier this year.

With all that said, I’m not projecting that HealthEC will employ close to 20,000 employees across the world anytime soon. Nor do I see anyone here seeking the presidency in the foreseeable future. However, we are poised for tremendous growth, just as Bloomberg was during its formative years. Furthermore, I see terrific leadership throughout HealthEC – so maybe there is a future presidential candidate here somewhere as we are blessed with numerous energetic visionaries! Or, perhaps if you decide to join us in the journey, you may be that candidate.

Now getting back to the holiday season, have you ever heard Dolly’s Home for Christmas or Elvis’s Blue Christmas?  Definitely must-listen-to albums this time of year!

Happy Holidays and “Blessings” to you and your families from all of us at HealthEC!