Commentary
MEET THE DELIVERY REGION: PATIENTS IN SHARPER FOCUS
In the Delivery Region, we’ve got some exciting first-time contestants – six of the eight trends are making their debut appearance in the 2024 March Healthcare Classic. A full half of this region’s competitors – Mental and Behavioral Integration, Investment in Dementia and Alzheimer’s, Focus on Women’s Health, and Investment in Preventive Care – make a strong case for the notion that in 2024, the delivery of healthcare will sharpen its focus more squarely on the patient.
A full half of this region’s competitors make a strong case for the notion that in 2024, the delivery of healthcare will sharpen its focus more squarely on the patient.
Economic strategy, modeling, and clinical training are still represented this year, with the Rise of Retail Health showing up as the number one seed in this region.
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THE EIGHT TRENDS AND THE FIRST FOUR MATCHUPS
Rise of Retail Health vs. Redesign of Care Team Training
In our first matchup, we have a return player from 2023 – Rise of Retail Health – which failed to proceed beyond the first round last year. In the 12 months since, it became evident that consumers continue to seek lower-cost and more convenient care options, driving traffic to retail and virtual care over traditional care settings. Momentum has pushed this trend into the top seed for its region, matched up against eight-seed Redesign of Care Team Training. With legacy curricula ill-equipped to train, onboard, and upskill the clinician workforce needed today, 2024 will see great strides toward enabling a more appropriately prepared workforce.
Mental and Behavioral Integration vs. Investment in Preventive Care
Two patient-centric trends take on each other in a battle between Mental and Behavioral Integration (2) and Investment in Preventive Care (7). While preventive care is making its first appearance ever in the tournament, mental and behavioral health was represented in the first two championships (and was noticeably absent last year). This number two seed is based on the idea that in 2024, mental and behavioral health will be more seamlessly integrated into primary care models and health benefits. The emergence of preventive care is an exciting one, having long been overlooked due to the perverse incentives of fee-for-service models. But it’s on the rise in 2024, as value-oriented organizations search for short and long-term ROI opportunities.
Increase in Leveraged Delivery Models vs. Growth of Population-Specific Models
Number three seed, Increase in Leveraged Delivery Models, takes on six-seed Growth of Population-Specific Models. Which will have a bigger influence on healthcare: leveraged delivery models that widen the definition of provider to combat physician shortage, or population-specific models to craft a care approach around certain populations?
Investment in Dementia and Alzheimer’s vs. Focus on Women’s Health
Finally, we have a tough skirmish between Investment in Dementia and Alzheimer’s (4) and Focus on Women’s Health (5). This mid-field matchup pits two very worthy players against one another. Society continues to experience an unrelenting upward trend of dementia diagnoses among baby boomers (and associated health stress on caregivers). Simultaneously, there is renewed attention and private funding for women’s healthcare expansion in services ranging from reproduction to menopause.
Follow the 2024 March Healthcare Classic for more…
Read about the trends in the other three regions: Healthcare Landscape, Payment, and Technology.
What trends do you think are leading the pack?
Join the conversation on LinkedIn and make your predictions by March 13.