The US healthcare landscape is constantly changing. Is that always for the better? No. Still, 2024 is seeing some significant and exciting advancements.
There are so many new trends impacting everyone, from patients to physician recruiters to the entire healthcare system.
Below, we’ll talk to you about some of the top healthcare trends in the US in 2024.
Big Technology M&A
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Big technology companies continue to work with the healthcare sector, making this one of the most noticeable trends – the industry is becoming massive.
Last year saw several mergers between tech-focused health systems, for-profit organizations, and provider groups. This trend will continue through firms like Amazon, Apple, or Microsoft, which will seek to control healthcare – the big players in tech who you’d expect to be involved.
They use their immense technological capabilities and data analytics capacity to support better patient care services. United Healthcare and Humana continued their technological footprint expansions this year to bring new systems that will enhance patient care and healthcare system management. These advancements are essential for cost reduction, improvement of financial performance, and maintaining a competitive edge.
Governance-wise, boards must press into their leaderships to fully comprehend a firm’s technology and data growth plans. Maintaining market position while ensuring access by patients requires understanding vulnerabilities to and potential impacts from big tech players.
AI and Technology Solutions
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been revolutionizing numerous industries – we’d say every industry and healthcare is no exception.
AI made huge progress last year, boosting productivity levels massively and creating new avenues for healthcare management. But that’s not even the most exciting bit. AI technologies are being developed for improved accuracy in diagnostics (the most exciting), streamlining administrative tasks, and personalized patient care experiences.
Health systems leaders must decide whether they want AI solutions that deliver immediate value or those with long-term strategic positioning ramifications. The financial implications of these technologies must be carefully assessed to ensure that they deliver actual returns on investment. They’re so expensive, and the US is already spending billions more than they should.
Home-Based Care Boom
Driven by an aging population, home-based care is a massive trend in 2024. Well, it’s also driven by the lack of hospital beds, nurses, and physicians, but that’s another article.
In 2024, this will continue to grow through the hospital-at-home modality and skilled nursing facility (SNF) at-home programs becoming more popular. These models also help manage costs by combining technology with home services to improve access to care.
Developing a network of home-based care providers has become a strategic choice for health system leaders trying to meet rising patient demands while tackling issues like staffing shortages and payment difficulties.
Following trends in the post-acute care provider industry, there is every potential that integrated networks can be formed that support high-acuity patients efficiently.
The US healthcare system is experiencing significant changes – none of them are changing the reality that the US healthcare system still needs to fix the fundamental issues that are crippling the system. Still, it’s exciting to see that the investments seem to be going in the right direction.
