Planning for increased patient encounters.
An aging and longer-living population is placing patient volumes demands on health care providers. The use of service technologies as well as focus on preventive care should help the industry deal with increased demands. Telemedicine is another trend – accelerated in use during the Covid pandemic – that will help manage increased patient encounters.
Strategies emerging to deal with cost pressures.
Anyone involved in health care has first-hand experience with increasing cost pressures. These financial concerns are accelerating some ongoing trends.
- Streamlining business operations to improve efficiencies
- Consolidation of organizations for improved economies of scale
- Outsourcing of non-core operations
- Pursuit of alternative patients and revenue channels
The increase in private equity investment in health care organizations are sharpening focus on business growth and positive financial results. Meanwhile, there has been some scrutiny by the U.S. Congress, concerned that private equity involvement may lead to decreases in patient care quality and overworked medical staff.
Data mining and analytics being pursued to improve patient care and organizational effectiveness
Health care leaders are figuring out how to improve the use of standard data analytics and emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other data mining functions to improve both patient care and business results. There is pressure on health care leaders to make smart technology investments. The use of information sharing, industry benchmarking and metrics will help drive desired results.
Virtual Reality (VR) applications are even being used, for example to help patients deal with chronic pain.
Health care organization addressing labor shortages.
Profession industry organizations project a potential shortfall in professional healthcare staff – including doctors and nurses – over the next 10 years. Health care leaders will pursue technology solutions to improve the efficiency of staff. Meanwhile, organizations look to outsourcing to fill needed positions both on-site and remotely.
Continued use of technology to improve all areas of health care.
Almost every health care organization utilizes technology in management and service delivery. Smart investments will need to continue to improve and refine the use of technology to both reduce costs and improve patient care. Technology can also empower the patient to have better access to data and interact with providers.
Technology is a major investment. Health care leaders need to do their homework to ensure they are making the right decisions for their organization and then ensure the new technologies are properly implemented and utilized.
