Grace Hwang - Comparative Health Care Systems
Since graduating in May 2012, Grace has been a part of the IT Strategic Services/CIO Chief of Staff Office team at Kaiser Permanente as a Business Analyst. Grace plays a key role in assisting the team deliver on top priority strategic projects on behalf of the CIO, assessing the competitive landscape and trends, and tracks performance management measures for the entire IT organization. One of her favorite projects has been implementing and coordinating a pilot to use an innovative technology solution across six pediatric weight management programs at four Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers. At one point, Grace also conducted a competitive assessment of Switzerland and Sweden’s health care systems for which her own thesis research prepared her. Grace writes: The ISF major helped me devote a whole year towards developing a strong background in the health care industry while still taking business courses to also help me navigate the corporate business world.
Grace wrote her thesis as a comparative study on the health care systems of the United States and Switzerland. Grace’s thesis explored the historical background of health care reform, the long-term sustainability of President Obama’s “Obamacare”, and the question of how Switzerland compares in successfully delivering high quality care for almost all of its population despite similar high costs to the US health care system. .
