5 Government Health Challenges To Watch

The Obama Administration brought a new public policy strategy to the federal government in 2009: challenges, with prize money for private organizations that design solutions (typically software or apps) for policy problems.

Some of the healthcare challenges could have a fairly large impact, such as designs for a Veterans Affairs scheduling system that would let veterans set up medical appointments at any location from a single website. Some also come with large prize pots — $15 million was the largest so far, going to a team that designed a high-efficiency light-bulb.

Among the 272 challenges in progress or awarded so far, 100 address issues in healthcare. Here are five to watch: