Deloitte launched a report final week predicting the important thing tendencies that may form the healthcare panorama in 2024. For its report, the consulting agency surveyed 60 well being system and well being plan executives who work at firms with an annual income of greater than $500 million.

The report forecasted that 5 primary tendencies could have the most important impression on healthcare organizations’ enterprise methods subsequent yr: M&A, generative AI, workforce challenges, outsourcing and affordability.

M&A

Almost 9 in each 10 surveyed well being system executives mentioned they imagine M&A could have an excellent or reasonable impression on their 2024 technique. Well being plan executives have been much less involved with M&A — only one third mentioned that it will have an effect on their technique for subsequent yr.

This yr noticed loads of hospital M&A exercise, together with the bulletins of the Kaiser Permanente-Geisinger merger and the Froedtert Well being-ThedaCare merger. The report predicted that this pattern of consolidation will proceed in 2024 — well being programs are in search of M&A offers to spice up operational effectivity, enhance cost-effectiveness and strengthen their capability to offer complete and built-in providers in an more and more aggressive panorama.

Generative AI

Within the yr since OpenAI launched its viral chatbot ChatGPT, generative AI has already made an enormous splash within the healthcare world. Hospitals are utilizing the know-how to foretell in-hospital mortality, size of keep and claims denials, the report identified. The report additionally highlighted that customers are turning to generative AI to reply questions on deal with themselves and navigate the healthcare system.

As an increasing number of well being programs consolidate, management should make sure that all hospitals beneath one model share the identical caliber of superior know-how, the report mentioned. Having disparate programs could cause bottlenecks, and new generative AI instruments are poised to make healthcare processes extra environment friendly and seamless between totally different services, the report famous.

Workforce challenges

Almost 60% of well being system executives surveyed by Deloitte mentioned labor shortages will have an effect on their group’s technique in 2024. Well being plan leaders have been much less apprehensive about workforce points, with simply 37% saying these would impression their 2024 roadmap.

Well being programs leaders mentioned they are going to proceed to deal with their workers’ psychological well being and well-being subsequent yr by providing higher worker profit packages and soliciting extra workers suggestions.

Outsourcing

Monetary challenges — stemming from growing labor prices, a better incidence of payer denials and excessive rates of interest — are nonetheless placing stress on hospitals. To alleviate this, some well being programs are outsourcing capabilities comparable to income cycle, billing, claims, finance, human sources, scientific administration and provide chain, the report identified.

Hospitals ought to determine their strengths and discover alternatives to outsource duties that may be executed extra cost-efficiently, the report advisable.

Affordability

In 2024, customers could face increased out-of-pocket prices attributable to medical inflation and growing protection bills, in keeping with the report. Half of well being plan executives mentioned that affordability considerations would be the greatest subject impacting their technique for subsequent yr.

Healthcare leaders can affect shopper well being decisions, in addition to doubtlessly increase loyalty and market share, by providing digital instruments that assist sufferers navigate their healthcare journey, the report famous. 

Photograph: Getty Photographs, AndreyPopov