Bundles are undeniably gaining traction in healthcare, with 83 percent of hospitals either interested in or already participating in these payments. However, there is still a "mismatch" between provider activity and employer needs, according to PwC's Strategy& annual bundled care survey of employers, hospitals and consumers.
The survey shows bundle adoption is at a critical turning point, and this "mismatch" creates great opportunity for those who can push bundles activity past the pilot stage.
The survey included 277 employers, 261 hospitals and 1,000 consumers.
Here are seven survey findings.
1. The survey found 31 percent of providers and 20 percent of employers have adopted bundles.
2. Sixty-three percent of hospitals have realized savings through bundles, and 69 percent improved quality through bundles.
3. The majority (55 percent) of consumer survey respondents found bundles easy to understand and appealing, picking a realistic bundle over current coverage 62 percent of the time.
4. Still, the survey found that employers want to see greater financial impact and a wide variety of bundles, whereas hospitals have kept efforts small.
5. The survey also found that hospitals are nearly exclusively offering bundles for a few acute conditions.
6. However, hospitals can commit to an at-scale bundles strategy, according to the survey, and payers and intermediaries can serve as industry aggregators.
7. Additionally, the survey shows, employers can guide bundle development to meet their needs and the needs of employees who value low-cost care combined with minimized travel.