In 2024, the healthcare technology industry will expand to make clinicians’ lives easier, exerting its influence on more aspects of the patient experience. This needed growth will affect how patients connect with their clinicians, influence which treatment plans are offered to them and enhance the comprehensiveness of health information available about them. With clinician burnout, we have hit a critical point where health tech must step in to improve the experience of clinicians and patients. Here are a few trends that will drive health tech’s focus on clinician support in 2024:
Enhanced user-friendly digital healthcare
Providers will place a higher emphasis on user-friendly technology in the next 12 months. To stay competitive, digital healthcare platforms will need to revamp their user interfaces, making them more intuitive and accessible for all patients. Ultimately, success in a digital care environment will be demonstrated by patients choosing to use these platforms, learning about their personal well-being and making a stronger connection with their clinicians.
Multiproblem solutions
In the next 12 months, providers will increasingly seek integrated tech solutions that can simultaneously tackle multiple healthcare challenges. This demand will arise from the frustration caused by current fragmented solutions, which too often lead to confusion and hinder clinicians in accessing the support they need. Clinicians are actively searching for technology that simplifies their work, and multiproblem solutions represent a significant step in that direction.
AI integration
Artificial intelligence (AI) will play a greater role in 2024. Providers are increasingly embracing AI as a viable part of their clinical decision-making processes as it allows them to more concisely and clearly access patient data from multiple sources, including remote monitoring.
Healthcare starts at home
More broadly, home-based healthcare will continue growing, a trend that gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift is driven by the limited availability of skilled nursing beds and the preference of many individuals to receive healthcare services in the comfort of their homes.
Increased investment in proactive care
Predictive and proactive healthcare will become increasingly commonplace as the advancement of remote digital tools allows for the capture of real-world patient data. This will enable healthcare providers to anticipate and address health issues before they become critical, significantly enhancing patient outcomes and reducing unnecessary burdens on the healthcare system.
Aging population focus
Meeting the needs of today’s growing elderly population presents a unique challenge for healthcare providers. With fewer seniors opting for nursing home care, instead preferring group living arrangements or aging in their own homes, innovative solutions will become increasingly necessary. Healthcare organizations must adapt to accommodate these changing demographics, ensuring the well-being and quality of life of the growing number of Medicare beneficiaries.
Diversification of revenue streams
In 2024, healthcare providers face the dual challenge of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ 3.4% reimbursement cut for Medicare physicians and rising medical inflation, making diversification of revenue streams a necessity, not just a trend. Digital care emerges as a critical solution, offering new revenue opportunities.
Particularly, remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) stands out as a promising avenue. It not only enhances patient care and the clinician experience but also offers financial resilience in the face of these cuts. Medicare and other health plans are increasingly supporting digital health solutions, recognizing their value with new reimbursement codes. Integrating RTM into practice is no longer just an option; it’s essential for healthcare providers to navigate the financial shifts and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape, turning challenges into opportunities for revenue growth and sustained financial health.
These predictions represent a healthcare landscape undergoing rapid evolution, with patient experience and clinician support central to this transformation. The future of healthcare can be made more promising if providers leverage technology that is designed with the end user in mind.
Patrick Tarnowski is chief commercial officer for OneStep, a leader in digital care technology.
