For decades, hospitals have touted high-quality care, clinical excellence and affordable access to care as their competitive advantage in crowded markets. But what happens when automation, data-driven insights and value-based care equalizes the field?
Health system C-suites are looking ahead for the next differentiating factor and many are coming to the same conclusion: patient experience.
"More technology and more innovation will drive different and collaborative care models that are consistent and regularized, creating far better processes, hand-offs and outcomes as well as greater opportunities for self-diagnosis and self-care," said Peter Banko, division president of CommonSpirit Health. "For health systems and providers, competition will, as a result, be based less on quality, safety and affordability and value (those are now 'table stakes') and more on the ability to innovate consumer experience and system connectedness."
Mr. Banko sees healthcare becoming much more consumer-driven in the next three years with the technology supporting more personalized care plans and facilitating connections between the health systems and communities.
"We will deliver uber-friendly technology to consumers like companies have delivered for every other part of their lives," Mr. Banko said. "Consumers will have access at their fingertips: care processes, best practices, research, risks, benefits, costs and outcomes, to further their own understanding and ability to impact their care."
Sriram Vissa, MD, chief medical officer and vice president of medical affairs at SSM Health DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, Mo., sees a similar trajectory for the patient experience.
"Health systems will be more consumer-centric and personalized care, where consumers have more access, choice, and control over their own health and well-being," he said. "Health systems will adopt more digital and virtual modes of care delivery, such as telehealth, remote patient monitoring and home-based care, to ensure the continuity and accessibility of essential health services."
To truly realize this vision, health systems will have closer collaborations with stakeholders including health plans, pharmaceutical companies and medtech companies to share data and communicate around the patient's care.
"Value-based care and population health will make health systems focus more on preventing and delaying the onset of disease rather than treating them after they occur," said Dr. Vissa. "This will improve the quality of life and reduce the burden of chronic disease and costly hospitalizations."
Lynne Fiscus, MD, president and CEO of UNC Physicians Network, sees health systems becoming more customized for consumer segments. Health systems will need to cater to tech-savvy patients and early adopters in addition to patients who prefer a more traditional approach to care delivery.
"Meeting patients where they are with when and how they want to interact with us on a health system will be imperative for health systems to continue to be relevant amidst the consumer-focused new market entrants," Dr. Fiscus said.
Hillery Shay, vice president of marketing and communications at Children's Minnesota, sees the biggest difference in the next 36 months will be the expanded presence of non-traditional healthcare players. A sophisticated and excellent patient experience will differentiate the market leaders and drive success over the competition.
"While the concept of more organizations competing for pieces of the same pie can create its own concerns, that competition can also fuel needed improvement in care delivery models, consumer experience and value," said Ms. Shay. "I'm looking forward to seeing how Children's Minnesota will serve as a trailblazer in this evolution over the next three years to enhance how we serve our patient families."
Patrice Weiss, MD, professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., said health systems will be "more things to more people" in the next three years and move toward an omnichannel care environment for health systems to cater to the needs of "patient-consumers." Health systems will own or align with neighborhood pharmacies, specialty clinics, hospitals and more.
"Through M&A, creative partnerships, expansions and new technologies, health systems will provide many more options and 'menu items' for patients than in the past, all in an effort to keep them engaged and loyal," said Dr. Weiss. "For leadership, this brings about the challenge of integrating disparate facilities, ensuring quality and safety standards across the enterprise, and making sure employees feel unified and rewarded working for an increasingly complex and diversified system."