Entrepreneurial

- Dr. Bijan Salehizadeh is a general partner at Highland Capital Partners and focuses on investments in medical device, healthcare services and healthcare information technology companies. The opinions expressed are his own. -

With the passing of the new healthcare reform legislation, there are new-found opportunities to make the healthcare system more efficient with the influx of more than 32 million people over the next several years. With this surge, there will be an inevitable paradigm shift not only for consumers, but also for businesses.

Startups will quickly fuel the healthcare space with new technologies and solutions as the industry looks to aid the expansion of hospitals and health-related companies. For instance, the concierge medicine route is being supplemented with Web-based applications created to access the needs of the consumer while providing businesses key insights so as to foster growth and targeted programs.

With that in mind, here are 3 themes investors are focused on right now:

1. CRM (customer relationship management) for physician practices

Why is it that every other category of small business in the country has figured out CRM other than physician practices? I’m talking about electronic scheduling, reminders for visits, etc. Really basic convenience-oriented items that make a huge difference to patients/consumers. Old school “practice management systems” don’t really seem to cut it. If restaurants can do it, then doctors’ offices must be able to do it in 2010.

2. Practice profitability tools

Continuing the theme from above: the small to mid-sized medical practice is a small business, but most practices have no idea what it costs them to deliver a unit of service. I am on the lookout for tools and services that will help docs and other providers measure the profitability of each customer. I understand that profit and medicine don’t mix well for some but many small practices are at the breaking point now and with declining Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, they may be in deep deep trouble.

Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz says the coffee chain now pays almost as much for employee health care as it does for coffee beans, so the company long-known for its generous health benefits will begin passing more of those costs to employees.

The news from Starbucks comes amid skyrocketing U.S. health-care costs that are forcing American companies large and small to hike employee health-care contributions,  cut back on coverage, or eliminate it altogether.

U.S. health care spending consumes 16 percent of GDP, about $2.2 trillion a year,  and is projected to rise to 25 percent of GDP by 2025. But while the U.S. spends more than any other country on health care, its residents aren't among the world's healthiest. Some 46 million Americans are uninsured.