Teamwork
and technology will stay on the forefront as healthcare delivery evolves to
implement health reform; adjust to a more sophisticated, tech-savvy consumer;
streamline costs; and focus on quality of care. Here are some of the major
trends that industry experts point to in 2011:
and technology will stay on the forefront as healthcare delivery evolves to
implement health reform; adjust to a more sophisticated, tech-savvy consumer;
streamline costs; and focus on quality of care. Here are some of the major
trends that industry experts point to in 2011:
Teamwork and working smarter
Across the spectrum, people
involved in care delivery are realizing the value of working smarter.
involved in care delivery are realizing the value of working smarter.
Mergers and acquisitions: Hospitals are teaming up
through mergers or acquisitions. According to a new report from the consulting
firm Irving Levin Associates of Norwalk, Conn., 20 percent more hospital
mergers occurred in the third quarter of 2010, compared to the same period in
2009. The company anticipates healthcare companies will continue to merge to
achieve economies of scale.
through mergers or acquisitions. According to a new report from the consulting
firm Irving Levin Associates of Norwalk, Conn., 20 percent more hospital
mergers occurred in the third quarter of 2010, compared to the same period in
2009. The company anticipates healthcare companies will continue to merge to
achieve economies of scale.
Physician–hospital
partnerships:
Physicians and hospitals also are joining forces. Increasing numbers of
physicians will seek employment with health systems, making it easier to deal
with bundled payments and accountable care organizations, under development by
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
partnerships:
Physicians and hospitals also are joining forces. Increasing numbers of
physicians will seek employment with health systems, making it easier to deal
with bundled payments and accountable care organizations, under development by
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
CDPHP, a physician-led health
plan in Albany, N.Y., also is working more collaboratively with providers and
is already bundling payments for cardiac services at one hospital as part of
its quest to align financial incentives with value or quality rather than
volume. It is expanding its medical home project, which features a global
payment and rewards physicians for providing comprehensive, coordinated care.
plan in Albany, N.Y., also is working more collaboratively with providers and
is already bundling payments for cardiac services at one hospital as part of
its quest to align financial incentives with value or quality rather than
volume. It is expanding its medical home project, which features a global
payment and rewards physicians for providing comprehensive, coordinated care.
Telemedicine opportunities: Kathleen Webster, M.D., a
pediatric intensivist at Loyola University Health System in Chicago, which uses
Global Media for teleconferencing in the pediatric intensive care unit, finds
the ability to remotely consult with residents and staff at the hospital has
improved collaboration. The off-site specialist and on-site team work together
to develop a plan of care.
pediatric intensivist at Loyola University Health System in Chicago, which uses
Global Media for teleconferencing in the pediatric intensive care unit, finds
the ability to remotely consult with residents and staff at the hospital has
improved collaboration. The off-site specialist and on-site team work together
to develop a plan of care.
Payors playing: Health plans also have begun
to take a more collaborative approach, said Christopher Stanley, M.D, senior medical
director for United Healthcare in the Rocky Mountain Region in Centennial,
Colo. “Thought leaders in the community, from health plans to physicians, are
reaching across the aisle to work together as more trust develops,” he said.
to take a more collaborative approach, said Christopher Stanley, M.D, senior medical
director for United Healthcare in the Rocky Mountain Region in Centennial,
Colo. “Thought leaders in the community, from health plans to physicians, are
reaching across the aisle to work together as more trust develops,” he said.
Stanley reported health plans
can provide data to providers that help them manage complex patients, such as
alerting a primary care physician when one of his patients presents in the
emergency department. That allows the physician to follow up and ensure the
patient receives the necessary care. He said both providers and health plans
must exhibit transparency and work toward the common goal of improving patient
care.
can provide data to providers that help them manage complex patients, such as
alerting a primary care physician when one of his patients presents in the
emergency department. That allows the physician to follow up and ensure the
patient receives the necessary care. He said both providers and health plans
must exhibit transparency and work toward the common goal of improving patient
care.
Reprocessing single-use
devices:
While more than half of U.S. hospitals already reuse disposable devices, reprocessing
provider Ascent of Phoenix anticipates more hospitals will join them to address
economic and environmental issues. “Supply costs are rising rapidly, and health
care networks are seeking supply chain solutions to reduce costs without
compromising the quality of care,” said Lars Thording, Ascent’s senior director
of marketing and public affairs.
devices:
While more than half of U.S. hospitals already reuse disposable devices, reprocessing
provider Ascent of Phoenix anticipates more hospitals will join them to address
economic and environmental issues. “Supply costs are rising rapidly, and health
care networks are seeking supply chain solutions to reduce costs without
compromising the quality of care,” said Lars Thording, Ascent’s senior director
of marketing and public affairs.
Technology
Already a force in medical
care, technology will maintain a vital role in streamlining operations and
enhancing communications.
care, technology will maintain a vital role in streamlining operations and
enhancing communications.
Robots: Robots have joined the
healthcare team in some 200 hospitals, where they deliver medications, meals,
linens, lab specimens, equipment and supplies. “We believe that robots are a
technology that will be one of healthcare’s delivery trends in 2011 and beyond
as they reduce costs, decrease delivery times, improve employee satisfaction,
and allow nurses and other clinical staff to focus their time and attention on
direct patient care,” said Peter Seiff, vice president of customer solutions
for Aethon, the Pittsburgh company that developed and builds the robots.
healthcare team in some 200 hospitals, where they deliver medications, meals,
linens, lab specimens, equipment and supplies. “We believe that robots are a
technology that will be one of healthcare’s delivery trends in 2011 and beyond
as they reduce costs, decrease delivery times, improve employee satisfaction,
and allow nurses and other clinical staff to focus their time and attention on
direct patient care,” said Peter Seiff, vice president of customer solutions
for Aethon, the Pittsburgh company that developed and builds the robots.
Telemedicine: Health systems and clinics
will turn toward telemedicine to increase rural patients’ access to health
services, whether primary or specialty care, said Joel Barthelemy, managing
director of Global Media of Scottsdale, Ariz., which designs teleconferencing
systems. He offers as an example, some emergency medical services are adding
teleconferencing systems to stretchers, enabling emergency department
physicians to assess the patient while en route to the hospital.
will turn toward telemedicine to increase rural patients’ access to health
services, whether primary or specialty care, said Joel Barthelemy, managing
director of Global Media of Scottsdale, Ariz., which designs teleconferencing
systems. He offers as an example, some emergency medical services are adding
teleconferencing systems to stretchers, enabling emergency department
physicians to assess the patient while en route to the hospital.
Addressing simple illnesses: Web-based, virtual doctors
visits are gaining in popularity, enabling patients to “see” a doctor 24 hours
a day without leaving their home or office for treatment of simple illnesses,
such as a sore throat or urinary tract infection, and allowing the limited
supply of physicians to care for a growing number of patients, says Alan Roga,
M.D., CEO of STAT Health in Scottsdale, Ariz., which works with self-insured
employers to offer the service to employees.
visits are gaining in popularity, enabling patients to “see” a doctor 24 hours
a day without leaving their home or office for treatment of simple illnesses,
such as a sore throat or urinary tract infection, and allowing the limited
supply of physicians to care for a growing number of patients, says Alan Roga,
M.D., CEO of STAT Health in Scottsdale, Ariz., which works with self-insured
employers to offer the service to employees.
Electronic medical records: Eighty percent of American
hospitals and 41 percent of physician offices plan to take advantage of federal
incentive payments for adoption and meaningful use of certified electronic
health records, which begins in 2011, according to the Department of Health and
Human Services. That means many will be changing processes to meet all of the
federal requirements.
hospitals and 41 percent of physician offices plan to take advantage of federal
incentive payments for adoption and meaningful use of certified electronic
health records, which begins in 2011, according to the Department of Health and
Human Services. That means many will be changing processes to meet all of the
federal requirements.
Empowering patients: Technology also can provide
patients with more affordable and convenient care, such as clinical decision
support programs. Hwang said software that sorts through symptoms and offers
treatment options could decrease cost and increase satisfaction.
patients with more affordable and convenient care, such as clinical decision
support programs. Hwang said software that sorts through symptoms and offers
treatment options could decrease cost and increase satisfaction.
Predictive modeling: George Pantos, executive
director of the think tank Healthcare Performance Management Institute in
Bethesda, Md., finds employers more interested in controlling healthcare costs
by mining data to identify employees at risk for being high users of healthcare
and intervening to prevent acute episodes.
director of the think tank Healthcare Performance Management Institute in
Bethesda, Md., finds employers more interested in controlling healthcare costs
by mining data to identify employees at risk for being high users of healthcare
and intervening to prevent acute episodes.
Social media: Learning more about their
customers will be important to healthcare institutions, added Jim Schleck,
executive director of REACH3 of Verona, Wis., who foresees greater use of
online channels to communicate with patients and customize the content to what
interests the patient.
customers will be important to healthcare institutions, added Jim Schleck,
executive director of REACH3 of Verona, Wis., who foresees greater use of
online channels to communicate with patients and customize the content to what
interests the patient.
The
effects of the current trends in health care delivery system
effects of the current trends in health care delivery system
With so much flux in the roles of
patient and providers and in the scope of readily available health- rated
information, it is perhaps easier to imagine what will no change in the health
care workforce then what will. It appears that health professionals who must be
licensed to do medical procedures –such as surgeons, an Sthesiologist’s
radiologists Endoscopists acute care nurse, and respiratory therapists could be
relatively unaffected by a “ Knowledge economy” and the open access to
information previously accessible only to “members of the guild” for other
health professions, virtually all aspects of traditional roles are potentially
in question in a networked global society with a profusion of health – related data, information, and knowledge.
patient and providers and in the scope of readily available health- rated
information, it is perhaps easier to imagine what will no change in the health
care workforce then what will. It appears that health professionals who must be
licensed to do medical procedures –such as surgeons, an Sthesiologist’s
radiologists Endoscopists acute care nurse, and respiratory therapists could be
relatively unaffected by a “ Knowledge economy” and the open access to
information previously accessible only to “members of the guild” for other
health professions, virtually all aspects of traditional roles are potentially
in question in a networked global society with a profusion of health – related data, information, and knowledge.
For the foreseeable future, the
“graying of America“ that will usher the postwar baby boomers into their
retirement years will increase the need for health services, both tradition and
novel. This demand should fuel growth of all health professions, including
physicians, nurses and alied health profession. The forces of ubiquitous
communication and computing technologies and access to information do not
appear at this point to be sufficient to cause the type of health professional.
Nor does it appear that they will cause the type of downsizing that was
experienced in dentistry with the advent of fluoridation and better dental
hygiene. Among health professionals there will certainly be winners and losers,
however, and the emergency of new categories of jobs. As health practitioner
serve as advisers and teachers, their communication and teaching skills will be
highly valued by empowered and knowledgeable consumers failure to communicate
effectively will be likely to place a health care provide at an economic
disadvantage.
“graying of America“ that will usher the postwar baby boomers into their
retirement years will increase the need for health services, both tradition and
novel. This demand should fuel growth of all health professions, including
physicians, nurses and alied health profession. The forces of ubiquitous
communication and computing technologies and access to information do not
appear at this point to be sufficient to cause the type of health professional.
Nor does it appear that they will cause the type of downsizing that was
experienced in dentistry with the advent of fluoridation and better dental
hygiene. Among health professionals there will certainly be winners and losers,
however, and the emergency of new categories of jobs. As health practitioner
serve as advisers and teachers, their communication and teaching skills will be
highly valued by empowered and knowledgeable consumers failure to communicate
effectively will be likely to place a health care provide at an economic
disadvantage.
