A Second Opinion Could Help Curb Wasteful Healthcare Spending in the US

Daniel Litwin
Apr 22, 2020
Learn more
2nd.MD healthcare spending incorrect care medtech overspending patient physician remote care Telehealth telemedicine unneeded care waste wasteful spending

 

On today’s episode of the MarketScale Healthcare podcast, Voice of B2B Daniel Litwin explores waste in the American healthcare system.

A recent October 2019 study in JAMA by Dr. William Shrank showed waste makes up almost a quarter, or 25%, of U.S. healthcare spending, which, when quantified, can reach $935 billion by some estimates.

How does this impact the system as a whole? What are some potential solutions? We’re spoke to both of those major questions today with Jason Melton, CEO of 2nd.MD, who’s looking to combat waste in our healthcare system through medtech.

Specializing in medical certainty, 2nd.MD connects patients to a network of hundreds of expert physicians ready to give a second opinion on their diagnosis and treatment plan, with the goal being to create an optimum treatment plan from the beginning to significantly improve outcomes and reduce ineffective or unnecessary medical spend.

Melton and Litwin spend the podcast breaking down…

  • How 30% of healthcare costs are wasted on unnecessary or incorrect care
  • How wasteful spending fits into the broader dynamic of overspending in American healthcare
  • The financial and health effects of incorrect care on physicians and patients
  • Where a medtech solution fits into the mission to curb wasteful care spending
  • How 2nd.MD created and expanded their network of physicians

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Healthcare Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

imposter syndrome
Busting Imposter Syndrome Through Presence, Community, and the Power of Delegation
December 10, 2025

Many of us know the feeling: you rack up accomplishments, hit the milestones you once dreamed of, and still there’s a quiet voice asking, “Am I really good enough?” Imposter syndrome has a way of showing up even in our strongest moments, often right when we’re stepping into new opportunities or chapters of growth. And…

Read More
Inside Breaking Down the New Behavioral Threat Assessment Report
Breaking Down the New National Behavioral Threat Assessment Report
December 9, 2025

School Safety Today podcast, presented by Raptor Technologies. In this episode of School Safety Today, host Dr. Amy Grosso interviews guest expert Will Durgin to discuss the newly released Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) Report from the National Threat Assessment Center and Homeland Security. They explore how this report differs from previous NTAC…

Read More
Trades
HVAC Safety Reform with Fallon Dyle: Rethinking Chemical Practices and Tackling Hidden Health Hazards in the Field
December 9, 2025

As HVAC systems evolve and health concerns take center stage, the industry is being forced to reckon with more than just performance specs. A growing threat from resilient biofilms, coupled with widespread misinformation about chemical cleaners like bleach, is pushing technicians and manufacturers to reexamine how they approach safety and maintenance. Reports have emerged…

Read More
creative
How an Underdog Mindset, Creative Discipline, and People-First Leadership Helped Cecil Cross Build Lasting Professional Equity
December 9, 2025

More and more, the creative journey looks less like a straight line and more like a series of pivots, setbacks, and surprising new opportunities. As layoffs, industry shifts, and unpredictable career turns reshape what a “typical” creative path looks like, many professionals are being pushed to turn uncertainty into momentum. Many are asking how to…

Read More
Related
The Hidden Roadblocks to Smarter Hospitals
Software & Technology
The Hidden Roadblocks to Smarter Hospitals
December 9, 2025
ROI
Healthcare
ROI Case Study
December 3, 2025

Denials are no longer a slow leak in the revenue cycle—they’re a fast-moving, rule-shifting game controlled by payers, and hospitals that don’t model denial patterns in real time end up budgeting around losses they could have prevented. PayerWatch’s four-digit, client-verified ROI in 2024 shows what happens when a hospital stops reacting claim by…

Read More
coverage
Healthcare
Clip 2 – Fighting for Coverage: One Patient’s Story
December 3, 2025

Health insurers love to advertise themselves as guardians of care, but the real story often begins when a patient’s life no longer fits neatly into a spreadsheet. In oncology especially, “coverage” isn’t a bureaucratic checkbox—it’s the fragile bridge between a treatment that finally works and a relapse that can undo years of grit…

Read More