The pandemic has had a profound impact on the way we think about healthcare. As we emerge from this global crisis, new healthcare trends are beginning to take shape.
Groundbreaking technologies, treatments, and strategies are coming to light as a result of the pandemic, and are shaping the future of healthcare.
Let's take a look at six of the most important healthcare organization trends that are shaping the future of health.
1. Integrated consumerization and care
The pandemic has forced healthcare organizations to rethink the way they deliver care, resulting in a greater focus on integrated consumerization and care. Consumerization is the process by which consumers take control of their own health and wellbeing.
This trend has been accelerated by the pandemic as people have become more aware of the importance of taking care of their own health. Along with this, EHR integration with telemedicine has also increased following the pandemic.
2. Awareness of healthcare inequalities
The pandemic has also brought to light the issue of healthcare inequality.
Not everyone has equal access to healthcare, and there are significant disparities in the quality of care that people receive. The statistics during the pandemic paint a clear picture of this, as people of lower socioeconomic status and minorities had a significantly higher COVID death rate.
This issue has been prevalent all along, but finally came to the forefront during the pandemic. Moving towards equality by addressing these disparities is now one of the most important healthcare trends.
3. A shifted focus towards growth opportunities
The pandemic has forced healthcare systems to reevaluate their priorities and focus on growth opportunities. This includes growing service lines, increasing offerings, acquiring practices, and more.
The shift towards a focus on primary care is another major trend in the industry right now, along with integrating ambulatory surgery centers and urgent care facilities.
4. Increased awareness of burnout
COVID-19 has also brought to light the issue of burnout. Burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that can be caused by work-related stress.
The pandemic has been an incredibly stressful time for everyone--especially healthcare workers. Through this, there's been a worldwide increased awareness of burnout. This issue is now one of the most important healthcare trends, and strategies for reducing burnout is something that needs to be continually addressed.
5. Emphasized importance of mental health
Mental health is an essential part of overall health, and the pandemic has shown us just how important it is. We all experienced a collective, worldwide traumatic event. With that comes a decreased stigma and increased awareness of stress management and mental health.
6. Virtual services
The pandemic has forced healthcare organizations to rethink the way they deliver care, and has resulted in a greater focus on telehealth and other forms of virtual care.
While telehealth is not necessarily a new phenomenon, the pandemic allowed us to fix some of the barriers that came along with it, including provider resistance, HIPAA concerns, and reimbursement.
These are just some of the healthcare organization trends that are emerging from the pandemic. It’s been a difficult time for everyone, but COVID-19 has also resulted in some positive and much needed changes in healthcare. These trends are shaping the future of healthcare, and will continue to do so in the post-pandemic world.
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