US healthcare ‘extreme makeover’ predicted for 2011
pharmafile | December 31, 2010 | News story | Sales and Marketing | US, US health reforms, US healthcare, health organisations, pricewaterhousecoopers, pwC
Health organisations in the US will undergo a strategic makeover in 2011 as they react to the pressures from new rules and payment methods.
Findings from the ‘Top Health Industry Issues of 2011’ report by PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute also note that consumers don’t fully understand or buy into all the changes.
The Institute adds that 2011 will see record spending on health IT, which is likely to increase demand for skilled health information technology (HIT) professionals, and they envisage “an expanded role for chief information officers and increased merger and acquisition activity among organisations looking to share the cost and benefits of HIT integration”.
The report also notes significant changes in benefit plan design, plan pricing and the health plan landscape as insurers adapt. New risks and opportunities may emerge they add, as payment models shift from fee-for-service to new models focusing on outcomes.
Health organisations may feel the ‘trickle down effect’ of decreased utilisation by price sensitive consumers according to predictions, and pharma will seek to increase their visibility with consumers. Also listed is an increased usage of mobile health and wireless technologies.
Principal of PwC’s HIT practice, Daniel Garrett, adds that health organisations are engaged in a lot of activity, but the success of their efforts will ultimately depend on consumer engagement.
Garrett said: “Health organisations are placing their bets on the future direction of healthcare and making decisions that will position their businesses for competitive advantage.
“Some organisations will undergo an extreme makeover while others will stay the course or refine existing strategies. Whichever path they take, all health organisations will be under pressure to deliver greater value for less, and they will face new risks and realities as business models and market players emerge.”
The online survey comprising 1,000 participants, collected data on consumers’ perspectives on health reform topics and preferences related to their healthcare usage and payments. It can be accessed here.
Brett Wells
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