I just read a great article from Regina Herzlinger (“Where Are the Innovators in Health Care?”, Wall Street Journal). What she says needs no introduction:

“Luckily there is a solution, but there is only one: consumer-driven health care. Let’s take back our $2.2 trillion from the entrepreneur-suppressing status quo and allow consumers to reward those entrepreneurs who lower costs by improving health. Until we control our own health-care system, the entrepreneurs who could reform it – and make our lives better – will continue to look elsewhere for opportunities . Who can blame them?”

Couldn’t agree more with her.

The figures she mentions correspond to the US market, but the problem is exactly the same here in Europe. We need to find and support those entrepreneurs. We need to find "the crazy ones" that may bring change to healthcare.

And while reading Regina’s article, I just remembered my favourite quote of all times… It should be on the wall of every entrepreneur dorm… I really love the way Jack Kerouac praised "the crazy ones" in his book "On the road" (an amazing book, by the way). Later, someone at Apple adapted his text for a “think different” campaign:

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits.
The rebels. The trouble makers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules and they have
no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them,
glorify, or vilify them.
But the only thing you can’t do
is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them
as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are
crazy enough to think
they can change the world
are the ones who do.”