Implications of Future Trends for Health Administration
Trend: Digital Health
| DEFINE AND DISCUSS | CAUSES AND RATIONALE
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ANALYSIS AND IMPACT
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| One of the trends that is gaining popularity in the current times, and which is expected to have various implications on healthcare leaders is that of digital health. Various digital technologies including health information technology systems that incorporate artificial intelligence, block chains and virtual reality, as well as electronic health recording have increasingly gained importance in healthcare service delivery (Holt & Subaiya, 2019). Part of this transformation has been the shift from enterprise specific software that was previously used in healthcare to more generic, cloud-based software that can be accessed across all locations (Holt & Subaiya, 2019). The healthcare sector is getting into the digital sphere as a late comer and it is expected that the technologies for the sector will continue expanding.
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Most of the already attained change towards digital health technologies was in response to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act (Holt & Subaiya, 2019). Additionally, some of the technological advances promise a seamless healthcare service delivery model hence the decision of healthcare stakeholders to support adoption. | The adoption of digital health trends has significant implications for healthcare leaders. It is expected to make healthcare service delivery easier and more efficient through the ability to predict patient risks of contracting diseases based on lab and claims reports; to enable personalization of drug regimens hence reducing the risks of complex interactions between drugs and improving the treatment outcomes of those drugs, and leveraging chatbot technologies for patient system analysis (Holt & Subaiya, 2019). Weiner, Yeh and Blumenthol (2013) also report that such technology could reduce demand for physicians and specialists by 4-9% and 4-7%, respectively, if implemented across 30% of the population. These outcomes indicate the need for more effective preparation for the future among healthcare leaders, continuous feedback collection, and aligning organizational goals with observed practice. |
Trend: Value-Based Care Adoption
| DEFINE AND DISCUSS | CAUSES AND RATIONALE
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ANALYSIS AND IMPACT
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| The second trend that is gaining traction in healthcare is the adoption of value-based care. Value-based care refers to a care model in which patients/insurers pay only for value gained rather than for the duration of hospital stay (Hopkins, Simon, Wang, & Milstein, 2019). High performing hospitals are distinguished from others based on their practice of value-based care as indicated by attributes such as thinking beyond hospitalization, waste reduction rather than compromising on safety, and engagement of frontline healthcare providers in improving cost effectiveness (Hopkins et al., 2019). The new models of healthcare insurance payment plans have pushed progress in this trend as healthcare providers are held accountable for the healthcare decisions they make. | Adopting the attributes of value-based care is associated with the projection of economic incentives to the care model particularly in areas such as care episodes and readmissions (Hopkins et al., 2019). There are also stronger payer initiatives towards incentivization that promote the intention to adopt attributes that lower the rates of hospital occupancy while improving health outcomes. | As healthcare providers focus on improving service delivery due to the payers’ incentives characterized by rewarding excellence, both healthcare systems and their leaders are expected to benefit from value-based care through implementing best practices that are aimed at meeting patient needs and those of health insurance providers (Hopkins et al., 2019). The healthcare leaders are therefore tasked with promoting the adoption of value-based and patient-centred care through training and creating awareness among stakeholders.
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Trend: Bioelectronic Medicine
| DEFINE AND DISCUSS | CAUSES AND RATIONALE
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ANALYSIS AND IMPACT
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| Amidst the trends of growing technology adoption in healthcare, the field of bioelectronic medicine is also increasingly being researched and promises to have significant impacts on healthcare practice in the future. Bioelectronic medicine is defined as the use of technology in modulating the nervous system in order to facilitate treatment of injuries as well as diseases without pharmacotherapy (Bouton, 2019). Various studies have been conducted on this technology and the findings show that this process could become a tangible substitute for certain medications. More research should however be conducted to explore some of the challenges that could be associated with the process.
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One of the factors that have driven continued focus on the subject of bioelectronic medicine is the increasing innovation in healthcare. The basis of the research on the potential for bioelectronic medicine is the discovery that the nervous system (particularly the vargus nerve) plays an instrumental role in healing especially where there are inflammations, which created the belief that interacting effectively with the nervous system can create avenues for treating diseases characterized by inflammation such as Crohn’s syndrome (Bouton, 2019). As such, on-going research in bioelectronics medicine is aimed at leveraging the effects of the nervous system for health improvement. | Advancements in bioelectronics medicine are expected to have significant impacts on the management of conditions such as Crohn’s disease, which have been traditionally difficult to manage. Innovation in bioelectronics medicine also promises to offer an alternative to some medications yet projecting the future happenings in relation to trends in bioelectronics medicine within the next few years is difficult (Bouton, 2019). However, healthcare leaders should consider it a priority to be continuously informed of potential developments in the trend because it could transform the way in which physicians, healthcare providers, and health systems in general, deliver care in the future (Bouton, 2019). The futuristic focus of this trend calls for continued participation and awareness even among other healthcare practitioners besides leaders.
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Trend: Strategic Partnerships in Healthcare
| DEFINE AND DISCUSS | CAUSES AND RATIONALE
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ANALYSIS AND IMPACT
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| Strategic partnership in healthcare service delivery is the other trend gaining increasing traction. Strategic partnerships are defined as collaboration among health systems leaders to realize physical growth in consumer-driven healthcare networks (Rubin, 2019). Several approaches are being used in realizing these strategic partnerships including launching medical foundations as well as groups to create networks; constructing medical offices, and buying physician practice and hospital resources. Most of these approaches require significant capital investments that may be difficult to access. Additionally, Rubin (2019) points out that aligning healthcare priorities with the expenditures involved in such partnership initiatives can be challenging due to competition and limited access to capital.
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Strategic partnerships in healthcare are driven by the increasing competitiveness in the healthcare environment, and are aimed at realizing various goals. These goals constitute the rationale of partnerships and include: delivering higher quality care, enhancing access to care, and connecting healthcare customers to stakeholders; and providing the healthcare providers and their potential customers with the frameworks for connection to other networks and subsequently optimizing care (Rubin, 2019). They are also aimed at reducing healthcare costs and promoting customer-satisfaction. | The impacts of strategic partnerships in healthcare vary widely across all stakeholders. One of the expected outcomes of this trend is increasing physician integration. This would call for healthcare leaders to also diversify communication practices to ensure that no patient fails to be attended to due to the absence of physicians. As a result, enhanced patient care, better value-based service delivery and lower patient risks are expected to be realized.
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References
Bouton, C. (2019). Bioelectronic medicine: Creating new treatment paradigms. In Futurescan. Healthcare trends and implications. Health Administration Press.
Holt, M., & Subaiya, I. (2019). Flipping the stack: Can new technology drive healthcare’s future? In Futurescan. Healthcare trends and implications. Health Administration Press.
Hopkins, D. S. P., Simon, M., Wang, T., & Milstein, A. (2019). Adopting the attributes of high-value hospitals. In Futurescan. Healthcare trends and implications. Health Administration Press.
Rubin, A. D. (2019). Health systems partner to grow consumer-driven physician networks. In Futurescan. Healthcare trends and implications. Health Administration Press.
Weiner, J., Yeh, A., & Blumenthal, D. (2013). The impact of health information technology and e-health on the future demand for physician services. Health Affairs, 32(11), 1998-2004. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24191092/