A few weeks ago, the senior management leaders who guide Crossover Health’s medical and corporate teams gathered in Laguna Beach to celebrate the launch of our recently announced Be Well program and to plot our future trajectory. There were lots of presentations and perspectives, both from those inside the company as well as knowledgeable investor, client, and partner viewpoints. As always, it was great to be with the team. Now that I have had the benefit of a week or two to consider the impact of all those conversations, I wanted to share some thoughts.
The Innovation Train has no stops. We live in a constantly changing world, full of challenges and surprises, and we can never stop pushing the boundaries. After having been the upstart startup for more than a decade, we are now “old” enough to be pushed by new challengers who are just like we used to be. Personally, I think this is fantastic tension that keeps us forever pushing forward, relentless in the pursuit of better, and ensuring that we stay fresh, relevant, and partner-minded. Two of our fundamental company values—“Be Fearless” and “Stay Curious”—were very much in evidence throughout our two days together.
Teamwork makes the Dream Work. It was really, really, REALLY nice to be together. This was our first official gathering in 18 months and it was so great to see everyone in person again. For many of our team members, this session was the first time they had travelled since the onset of the pandemic, and for some of them, the first opportunity to meet with their peers in person. Much has been written about the challenges of building teams virtually and we soaked up all the sunshine and sociality we could. I absolutely loved the shared sense of adventure, optimism, and determination that has prevailed over the last 18 months, and there were a few emotional experiences for me as I expressed my profound appreciation, respect, and admiration for our team.
Cherish the Magnificent Obsession. I have always loved true creators. People who have a vision, who can share it with others, and come together to build what was never thought possible. With Disneyland in our backyard, I have come to know and appreciate the unique brand of magic that Walt brought to everything he did. Above is a new favorite quote from him that captures the collective spirit of the meeting. Healthcare is a massive and seemingly intractable challenge to address and yet everyone at Crossover remains fueled by the belief that we can literally change it. And we are. You can see it—but more importantly, feel it—in how we deliver care, how we connect it to people’s lives, how we help people embrace health, how we measure effectiveness and success, and even how we can add value differently. And, in spite of the barriers and systemic inertia that at times feel impossible to overcome, we persist. We are relentless. We don’t quit. We do not give up. In fact, this quest is our “magnificent obsession.”
Crossover’s Obsession. What are we obsessed with? Community. Data. High engagement. Compassion. Hard work. And the sense that what we’re building is unstoppable (inevitable!). Our obsession was fueled by a conversation with Peloton, who walked us through how the company has used community to change the rules around physical fitness and sustaining membership. We heard from our colleagues at Aetna, who are leading the charge to reinvent health plans and help the payer get closer to its members. Our own Dan Lord, DC took everyone through the remarkable work being done to move well beyond reactive, evidence-based care to Measurement-Based Care, where our data analytics and presentation uniquely allow real-time responses to individuals and populations. We learned more about Be Well, which is not just prescribable content and health programs, but our manifestation of what it means to help a community of members live their best health. It was so nice to see our tagline from our founding—“Be Well. Do Good. Enjoy Life.”—begin to really become part of our care model. The phrase has never been more relevant to our members, to our clients, and to our purpose than it is right now.
The Obsession Continues into Community. The energy didn’t wane as we reviewed our product strategy with new Chief Product Officer Joel Haugen. In fact, the clarity was invigorating. Our product is not an app. It’s not a physical health center. It’s not our suite of services. Our product is our care model. It’s Primary Health, connected to our community of members and a secondary care ecosystem, delivered through omnichannel, surround-sound care and generating value at every turn. And we spoke about our responsibility to our broader communities—which include the people and places we serve, as well as where we live, work, and play. We’re learning to obsess over all the factors that drive good and bad health; focussed on the distinction that 20% is influenced by healthcare itself and 80% are other factors within our control (see graph below). Understanding these “Determinants of Health” is allowing us to ask different questions of our members, and play a much different—and more impactful—role as we help them address the root causes of not just illness, but more importantly, health.
Finally, is this Healthcare’s Moment? All of this brings me full circle to this unique moment in which we find ourselves. Primary care seems to be having its moment. Finally, its moment to take its rightful place at the foundation of building a new system of health. Within the last week, TWO different multi-billion dollar investments have been announced by next-generation primary care medical groups—VillageMD and Devoted Health. Huge technology companies, retail behemoths, consumer products, and even fitness brands are getting into the game. While funding announcements do not a movement make, they certainly are leading indicators of the level of interest and real dollars being applied to solve the incredibly challenging problem of care delivery in our country.
I say bring it. Bring it all. Welcome to the Magnificent Obsession at scale, for everyone, right when we need it the most. And, may the contest of solutions and the tumult of opinions lead to a better health system for all. We are doubling down and pushing all in on Primary Health which we are passionate is the right foundational solution from which to build. We are also challenging our clients think through what solutions actually deliver results and pushing competitors to bring their outcomes to the table. The status quo is unacceptable; so bring your obsession to your solution—just make sure its magnificent!
Scott Shreeve, MD 