Bill Kerr, M.D., has been the CEO of Avalon Healthcare Solutions since its inception in 2013. He leads the Avalon team that is scaling laboratory science into the healthcare ecosystem. Avalon, working with health plans across the U.S., covers more than 33 million lives and delivers 7-12% outpatient lab benefit savings. Before co-founding Avalon, Dr. Kerr was the Chief Medical and Growth Officer at CareCentrix and Chief Medical Officer at WellCare Health Plans and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida. Dr. Kerr was previously Vice President of Professional Networks at Independence Blue Cross and regional medical director for a number of plans in Texas. Dr. Kerr holds a B.A. from the University of Arkansas, an MBA from the University of Houston, and an M.D. from the University of Arkansas.
With the projection that the U.S. may spend up to $27.9 billion annually on low-value screening, testing, and procedures considered waste, there needs to be a new approach to how the lab industry develops test menus from which physicians order labs.
As the U.S. healthcare industry continues to advance value-based care and population health, lab testing price transparency and payment integrity programs should be a priority.
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.