CVS Health CEO Karen Lynch, the "most powerful woman in business," has a chance to transform healthcare as the leader of the industry's second-largest company, Fortune reported June 7.
She is trying to do so by growing the company, having acquired 10,600 physicians and other providers when CVS bought Signify Health and Oak Street Health this spring for a combined $19 billion, according to the story.
"My personal passion is, 'How do we improve the healthcare system?'" Ms. Lynch told the news outlet. "We have the opportunity to really drive engagement, simplicity, effectiveness — and to drive patients to the right care at the right time, in the right places."
The mergers and acquisitions are part of that strategy, as disruptors like CVS are increasingly aiming to own every part of a patient's healthcare journey, from payers to providers to pharmacies to home care. The goal is to provide value-based care, keeping patients healthy so they don't require expensive medical services. Not all experts are convinced giants like CVS and UnitedHealth Group — the nation's largest healthcare company — will get the system to that point.
"I always think, sitting in this chair, 'How would I want to be treated? How would I want my family members to be treated?'" Ms. Lynch told Fortune. "You're not going to get it right all the time. But how do we get better?"