December 14, 2015

9 Emerging Healthcare Trends in 2016

2016 is going to be a year of change! We say that every year, don’t we? But really, there are some big changes coming to healthcare in the New Year.

There are many new forces driving the healthcare industry—a stronger focus on value, fresh technology, and rising costs and trends—and experts believe that 2016 will be the year we see how the industry handles these new forces.

According to a recent report from PwC, here are 9 of the forces that will have the greatest impact on healthcare in 2015:

Cost of care. In our journey to improve care and the efficiency with which it’s provided, healthcare systems are also seeking to provide value-based care at “true costs.”

New database tools. Thanks to high-tech databases, we will be able to better provide insights and analysis to improve patient care and consumer health.

Money managers. Consumers will become money managers and will need help managing payment plans and pricing information. This will require new services and tools to help consumers pay for services and manage spending.

Greater attention to behavioral healthcare. A greater emphasis will be put on recognizing and improving the mental health of employees as well as consumers. Mental health has been put on the backburner for many years but will now be recognized as important to the well being of the industry as a whole.

Care within reach. Thanks to innovations in technology, as well as the rising use of smartphone apps, care will move into the palms of consumers’ hands.

Cybersecurity. Even the most prepared systems can fall victim to cyber attacks and hacking, which can result in lawsuits, lost revenue and a harmed reputation. In 2016, the healthcare industry will see new attention being put into cybersecurity.

Biosimilar drugs. These drugs might come at a discount but are similar to the name brand ones and will become a competitive option in 2016.

Rising prices. In order to combat rising drug prices, healthcare leaders will need to find a way to partner with patients, insurer and value-assessment groups to institute a fair pricing formula.

High-profile mergers. 2016 will bring with it more merger mania, with an increase in high-profile mergers and acquisitions. This will require an increase in attention to branding and consumer care.

 

How are you expecting to see healthcare change or grow in 2016? Let us know in a comment on our Linked In page!

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