Michael Ackermann, vice president of neurostimulation at the pharmaceutical giant Allergan, offers thoughts on how healthcare policy will be affected by the election of Donald Trump as America's commander in chief. On the day after Trump was elected president, Ackermann discussed how much is unknown about the new administration and its agenda, how another system for encouraging Americans to get insured may replace the Affordable Care Act if it is dismantled, and how soaring healthcare costs will remain a major issue.

Med-tech entrepreneur Michael Ackermann cites the various reasons why healthcare has yet to be disrupted by technology akin to how Amazon, Netflix and other companies have transformed their respective industries. Now vice president of neurostimulation at Allergan, Ackermann lists healthcare’s diverse and complex array of consumers, industry regulations, ethical and legal privacy concerns, and the fact that medical science moves at a much slower pace than software development.

Michael Ackermann, CEO of a medical-device startup acquired by Allergan, discusses the advantages of joining a larger company. Acquired firms can leverage the massive resources and market coverage of a parent company to magnify impact, as well as learn from experienced professionals about how to launch new products, Ackermann says. Now vice president of neurostimulation at Allergan, Ackermann adds that entrepreneurs should see acquisition as an opportunity because it eliminates the funding uncertainties startups typically face.

Bioengineering executive Michael Ackermann describes how the unique challenges of the healthcare industry can serve as advantages for entrepreneurs. Once you understand the regulatory landscape and intricacies of the sector’s diverse stakeholders, Ackermann says those same barriers can discourage other entrepreneurs from entering the market. The onetime CEO of a startup that created a tear-stimulation device for those with dry-eye disease, Ackermann explains how capturing even a small slice of the $3 trillion healthcare market is huge.

Michael Ackermann, vice president of neurostimulation at Allergan, presents industry trends in healthcare, national spending and the many opportunities for entrepreneurs in the rapidly changing sector. He describes how a desire to increase efficiencies and reduce costs are driving consolidation among hospitals, drug companies and insurance providers. Ackermann points out the business opportunities created by all this and assesses healthcare as a $3 trillion market, based on what Americans spend every year on treatments.