Commentary
CARE DELIVERY ROUND OF 32 RESULTS: CONSUMERS HOLD AND GROW POWER
This year’s Care Delivery region builds on the patient-centric foundation we’ve seen expanding over several tournaments. The rise in consumerism continues upward, with both public will and a responsive market that is empowering patients to do more to improve their health and reduce their costs.
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Here’s what went down in this region’s first four contests:
Focus on Women’s Health Uprooted by Continued Focus on Preventative Care
Focus on Women’s Health (1) has been a dynamic team to watch lately, with a surge in solutions to address the disproportionate use of healthcare by women. However, like so many trends in this year’s tournament, the new federal administration appears ready to assist its rival trend, Preventative Care (8). New federal healthcare agency leadership is “singing from the same hymnal,” favoring preventative care for all over niche initiatives focused on distinct demographic groups. One Committee member conceded “preventative care is women’s care,” and that consumerism and the power that prevention gives patients is what tipped the scales in this game. After an initial tie, we witnessed a vote change that gave the win to Preventative Care, 3-1.
“THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IS LOUDLY FOCUSED ON PREVENTATIVE CARE.”
Access and Capacity Stomps Hospital-at-Home Programs
All Committee members expressed interest in Hospital-at-Home Programs (7), a growing trend that is part of the solution to a number of large healthcare problems such as workforce shortages and cost control. But this emerging trend didn’t stand a chance against the mammoth healthcare problem of Access and Capacity (2) as one of the throughline challenges of the entire healthcare industry. One Committee member pointed out that access is especially acute in the rural areas that largely elected President Trump, making the issue one to watch as the new administration rolls out its brand new healthcare lineup. With people waiting months to see an internist and having little access to specialists, Access and Capacity easily triumphed over Hospital-at-Home Programs 4-0.
“RURAL ACCESS IS A CRISIS LEVEL ISSUE AND SHOULD BE A PRIORITY OF THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.”
VBC Enablement Re-emerges with Strength Buckles Under Patients Retake the Pharmacy
In another game demonstrating the power of the consumer, Patients Retake the Pharmacy (6) easily upset VBC Enablement Re-emerges with Strength (3). One Committee member highlighted the industry’s struggle with articulating the benefits of VBC to the commercial marketplace, a serious weakness for this team. However, momentum is unchecked on the drug side, and patients are taking all the control that new pharmacy models are dishing out. And in an industry plagued with mistrust, the patient-pharmacist relationship appears to be the sole survivor. Patients Retake the Pharmacy makes quick work of VBC Enablement 4-0.
“ACTIVITY ON THE PHARMACY SIDE IS FORMIDABLE. RETAIL IS SUPPORTING THIS DISRUPTION.”
Tying Senior Living and Long-Term Care Denies Longevity Boom
Tying Senior Living and Long-Term Care (4) came to win against Longevity Boom (5), with the confidence that can only come from the backing of a generation that for nearly 80 years has shaped every facet of American life like a glacier shapes the land. The Committee noted the growing market effects across all generations in the interest in living longer and better but ultimately tipped their hats 3-1 to Tying Senior Living and Long-Term Care. Acknowledging the demand-driven convergence of senior living and senior care sectors, the Committee bowed to the undeniable power of the Baby Boomer generation to continue influencing a nation.
“MOVING OUT OF YOUR HOME AND AGING GRACEFULLY IS A UNIQUE AMERICAN BEHAVIOR, AND THE BOOMERS ARE IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT.”
What trends do you think are the biggest healthcare change-makers?
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