Dr. Nathan Gunn is a technology-focused health care executive who engaged in a turnaround position as Valence Health’s president of population health. He oversaw a consistent increase in client satisfaction and profitability by enabling scalable growth in Valence Health’s software division. Dr. Nathan Gunn was featured in a 2011 New Yorker article titled “The Hot Spotters - Can We Lower Medical Costs by Giving the Neediest Patients Better Care?”The article featured his efforts with Verisk Health to drill into data sets for clients that manage employers’ health care benefits. Against a backdrop of sharply increasing coverage outlays, he identified the top 5 percent of spenders. Among more than 100,000 covered lives, these accounted for 60 percent of total medical spending. This brought to sharp relief those people who did not receive adequate care when they got sick, which Dr. Gunn called “the sweet spot for preventive care.”Through looking at individual cases, he was able to find mismatches between conditions and steps taken to remedy them within the health care system. For example, one patient with chronic migraines would be prescribed medications that did not work and then make regular visits to the emergency room, where she would receive narcotic injections that eased the symptoms. The preferred treatment pathway would involve the physician guiding the patient in exploring the full range of prescription medications until one that actually worked was found. These individual inefficiencies often lead to the discovery of larger patterns that can be solved in ways that save money and improve health care outcomes.
A graduate of the University of California Davis School of Medicine, Dr. Nathan Gunn has served as COO of Verisk Health and as president of population health at Valence Health. Outside of work, Dr. Nathan Gunn enjoys kiteboarding, which he learned while on vacation in Costa Rica.Costa Rica boasts a diverse mix of wildlife and beautiful beaches on both its Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Puerto Viejo, on the Caribbean side of the country, is world-renowned for its beaches, including Playa Negra, a beach named for its black sand, and Playa Cocles, a popular destination for surfers. Those looking for typical aquamarine Caribbean water and ivory sand should be sure to visit Punta Uva.On the Pacific Coast, the most popular beach is Manuel Antonio. With white sands and a backdrop of the lush green forest of Manuel Antonio National Park, this beach offers opportunities for water sports such as surfing and snorkeling. Those looking for more adventure can trek to the last beach within the park, Playa Espadilla Sur, via a “tombolo,” or natural land bridge.
Nathan Gunn, MD, has experience not only as a physician but also as a leader in the health care technology field, having served Valence Health as president. Dr. Nathan Gunn earned his medical degree from the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), School of Medicine, which remains dedicated to providing students with research opportunities. The UC Davis School of Medicine offers students a number of options to gain valuable exposure to research, including summer research programs and longitudinal studies throughout medical school. The following are a few opportunities for students to engage in more in-depth research: - T32 Pre-Doctoral Clinical Research Training Program. Designed for junior trainees, this program engages students in a year of research as they learn the skills necessary for multidisciplinary translational and clinical translational research in human health. By participating in this program, students can also earn a master of advanced studies in clinical research.- Medical Student Research Fellowship. This fellowship program supplements students’ medical training through direct involvement in clinical investigation or research on health care delivery. - Physician Scientist Training Program (P.S.T.P.). Geared toward students who are pursuing a career in academia within a specific research field, this program allows students to earn both an MD and a PhD as they become physician scientists.
