← Back to Insights
August 12, 2021
Authors
David W. Johnson John Zam
Topics
Outcomes
Channels
4sight Radio & TV Songs Videos

SONG: Healthcare’s Dystopia: A Patient’s Lament

To the tune of “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffet

Fast food is easy
Watch too much TV

Should exercise more but I can’t find the time
Diabetes scares me

Trackin’ my A1C
Need to do better while still in my prime

Wastin’ away in healthcare’s dystopia
Lookin’ for real value anywhere

Some people claim that no-one’s to blame
But I know that it’s partly my fault

Skippin’ prescriptions
Gives me conniptions

Making ends meet is a terrible strain
My health plan is crappy

It keeps me unhappy
Its high deductible drives me insane

Wastin’ away in healthcare’s dystopia
Lookin’ for real value anywhere

Providers claim that the payers are to blame
But I know that they’re both at fault

I wrecked up my old car
Wound up in the E.R.

Treatment and rehab made me so blue
The bill was ten pages

More than my wages
What I’ll do now, I haven’t a clue

Wastin’ away in healthcare’s dystopia
Lookin’ for real value anywhere

Payers claim that the providers are to blame
But I know, it’s the whole system’s fault

Yes, and some people claim that no-one’s to blame
But I know, it’s the damn system’s fault

Check out all the 4sight Health songs here.

About the Authors

David W. Johnson

David Johnson is the CEO of 4sight Health, an advisory company working at the intersection of healthcare strategy, economics, innovation. Johnson is a healthcare thought leader, keynote speaker, and strategic advisor to organizations busting the status-quo to reform our healthcare system. He is the author of Market vs. Medicine: America’s Epic Fight for Better, Affordable Healthcare, and his second book, The Customer Revolution in Healthcare: Delivering Kinder, Smarter, Affordable Care for All (McGraw-Hill 2019). As a speaker, Dave plays the role of rebel, challenger, industry historian, investor and company evaluator to push audiences forward. (Watch bio video.) Johnson applies his 25+ years of investment banking in healthcare to identify ways the healthcare industry must change to deliver better care. He received a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, an English degree from Colgate University, and served in the African Peace Corp service. Join over 10k+ healthcare executives who read our weekly insights and commentary on www.4sighthealth.com.

Dave wakes up every morning trying to fix America’s broken healthcare system. Prior to founding 4sight Health in 2014, Dave had a long and successful career in healthcare investment banking. He is a graduate of Colgate University and earned a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School. Employing his knowledge and experience in health policy, economics, statistics, behavioral finance, disruptive innovation, organizational change and complexity theory, Dave writes and speaks on pro-market healthcare reform. His first book Market vs. Medicine: America’s Epic Fight for Better, Affordable Healthcare, and his second book, The Customer Revolution in Healthcare: Delivering Kinder, Smarter, Affordable Care for All (McGraw-Hill 2019), are available for purchase on www.4sighthealth.com. Get his new book with Paul Kusserow, The Coming Healthcare Revolution: 10 Forces that Will Cure America’s Healthcare Crisis now.

John Zam

John is our favorite piano man, a consummate entertainer with a fabulous voice and incredible piano skills. He’s a lifelong Billy Joel enthusiast, and well-versed in the beloved piano bar repertoire from the 70s and 80s, with virtuosity in all genres: classic rock, the Beatles, Broadway, standards from the great crooners, country, and today’s hits. John entertained Chicago audiences for more than 20 years at the famed Redhead Piano Bar, other intimate entertainment spaces, luxury hotels and restaurants, and is based in Florida now. His shows are personal, he loves requests, and can make anyone feel special with a favorite song.

At 4sight Health, music is one of our cultural touchstones, an entrée into serious, even wonky concepts. As our troubadour, John brings to life David Johnson’s alternate lyrics to well-known songs. We don’t take ourselves too seriously! Listen to them all here.

John studied music at Northwestern University, and pivoted his communication degree and PR work to performance. Original artists from Billy Joel to Metallica have complimented him on his live covers of their songs and he’s been covered in the WSJ, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times. After decades of Chicago winters, he headed south to Miami, writes original music and performs in southern Florida, with occasional appearances at his Chicago haunts.

Recent Posts

Economics
Lane Assist for Filling Prescription Drugs
I bought a new car in 2020. It’s the same make and model as my wife’s car, which… Read More
By January 22, 2025
Innovation
Podcast: Another Blank Check for Healthcare Spending 1/16/25
We broke down the latest figures on national health expenditures and what they foretell for healthcare spending in… Read More
By January 16, 2025
Outcomes
Putting Physicians at Financial Risk Might Reduce Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis leads to an estimated 371,000 deaths and 424,000 permanent disabilities in this country each year. I believe… Read More
By January 14, 2025