A dose of reality about the business of health care

Welcome to The Dose, a blog about the business of health care. As your host, J.K. Wall, I'll be writing about the most interesting new developments I see at hospitals, doctors, insurers, employers, patients, drugmakers, device companies and medical researchers around Indianapolis and around the country.

I've been covering the world of health care since early 2007, including the mammoth health reform debate, which gave us the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act of 2010. By now, I know a little bit about the field, but mostly I just try to learn more each day, then share those tidbits with you.

On this blog I will direct you to my articles and other analysis I find interesting. But I'll discuss the financial reasons that lie behind the decisions of every organization in health care–including, if not especially, the not-for-profit ones. Everyone in health care likes to describe themselves in righteous terms, as healing the sick and comforting the afflicted out of nothing but a selfless heart. It's my job to inject a dose of reality into the situation.

Please join the conversation. Your comments, and especially your criticisms, are always welcome.