Hartford Business Journal

30 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | OCTOBER 16, 2023 POWER 25 | HEALTH CARE Dr. Deidre Gifford D r. Deidre Gifford is the exec- utive director of the state's Office of Health Strategy, the agency responsible for overseeing Connecticut's healthcare industry. OHS oversees healthcare-re- lated expansions, contractions and mergers, including Yale New Haven Health's pending proposal to acquire Manchester Memorial, Rockville General and Waterbury hospitals. The high-profile position doesn't come without the potential for criti- cism. For example, concerns have been raised about the amount of time it has taken OHS to weigh in on Yale New Haven Health's proposed acquisition of the financially ailing hospitals. The Connecticut Hospital Asso- ciation also recently called for an overhaul of the state's healthcare regulatory approval process, citing concerns about delays and costs. Gifford also serves as a senior advisor to Gov. Ned Lamont on health and human services issues. She played a key role in shaping significant reforms approved by the legislature earlier this year that aim to reduce healthcare costs and improve the delivery of patient care. The reforms range from elimi- nating certain hospital facility fees to reining in aggressive pharmaceutical company marketing practices and restricting anticompetitive contracting practices employed by providers. Gifford said hospital inpatient and outpatient costs and phar- maceutical prices are the largest drivers of the state's healthcare affordability problem, but she's been careful not to lay blame on any single stakeholder. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gifford served as a member of Lamont's team in planning and implementing the state's response to the public health emergency. In May 2020, when the pandemic was wors- ening, Lamont appointed Gifford to lead the Department of Public Health as acting commissioner. Gifford also led the state Depart- ment of Social Services between June 2019 and January 2023. Annie Lamont A nnie Lamont, wife of Gov. Ned Lamont, is a successful healthcare venture capitalist. She is co-founder and managing partner of Stamford-based venture capital firm Oak HC/ FT, where she focuses on growth equity and early-stage investments in healthcare and fintech companies. In an interview with the Hartford Business Journal last year, she described a straight-for- ward investor philosophy — "more access, higher quality, lower cost" — that leads her toward innovations in primary care. Lamont has led significant healthcare invest- ment deals. Oak HC/FT lists on its website about 50 healthcare technology companies in its portfolio, including some well-known brands like weight-loss program app Noom, primary care provider VillageMD, and in-home medical care provider Dispatch Health. Lamont has appeared on the New York Times' list of the Top 100 Venture Capitalists and a similar list prepared by CB Insights. She spent years on the Forbes Midas List, including time as the nation's top life science investor. She was also the first recipient of the National Venture Capital Association's Award for Excellence in Healthcare Innovation, and was presented with the Healthcare Private Equity Association's Russell L. Carson Award for Lifetime Achievement in Healthcare Investing.

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