Commentary
MEET THE HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE REGION – HERE COME THE HEAVYWEIGHTS
Always a powerhouse region and the birthplace of champions, Healthcare Landscape is showing up strong again this year. The number one seed – Evolution of GLP-1s – is back to defend its 2024 championship title, having catapulted from an eight-seed last year to grab the ring in a stunning, tournament-first Cinderella triumph. The three seed – Approach of the Workforce Cliff – is a dream team that combines rim-wreckers from both workforce and artificial intelligence (AI) trends that have appeared in nearly every tournament to date. However, the other six trends in this region are mostly rookie teams, so it will be interesting to see if this stronghold region can launch a champ for a fourth consecutive year.
In a bit of irony, last year’s number one seed in this region – Influence on the Presidential Election, which fell easily to GLP-1s in the first round – has somehow transformed from a tournament team to league commissioner. As a team, this trend was limited to the influence of healthcare on the election, but as a commissioner, a second Trump administration could influence wholesale changes to every aspect of healthcare. Keep an eye on this dynamic as the tournament unfolds.
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THE EIGHT TRENDS AND THE FIRST FOUR MATCHUPS
Evolution of GLP-1s (1) is the returning 2024 champ and is expected to go far again. In the year since it was crowned champion, prescribing rates – both label and off-label – have skyrocketed, and the national obesity rate has declined for the first time in 10 years. GLP-1s are changing lives while also shaping industries. In Round 1 this trend squares off against Alternative Individual Products (8). This rookie is poised to pounce under the new presidential administration, which is expected to emphasize options that allow individuals to choose, manage and pay for their coverage in alternative ways, like Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRA).
Our number two seed, Make America Healthy Again, reflects a perspective of the new administration that may balloon – or disappear altogether. Advocates of better diet and lifestyle choices as ways to improve health and reduce healthcare costs are not new to the White House, but recent appointments to leadership positions suggest a stronger emphasis on strategies that could have impacts beyond healthcare such as agriculture and the food and beverage industry. Going up against this trend in the first round is Private Equity Scrutiny, a seven seed newcomer that represents high-octane stakeholder blowback from years of private equity investment that has increased prices and lowered quality for many healthcare systems.
In our third regional matchup in Round 1, a dream team faces off against a tournament newbie. Approach of the Workforce Cliff (3) combines past teams that have come to every tournament: the critical physician and nurse shortages and the rise of AI as a potential solution to those shortages. Rise of Misinformation (6) is social phenomenon that has wormed its way into healthcare on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic. An erosion of public trust in healthcare professionals and many previously trusted sources of health information is resulting from the growing power of conspiracy theories and echo-chamber social media websites, challenging healthcare providers’ ability to effectively communicate with patients.
In the final Healthcare Landscape Round 1 contest, four seed Capital Markets Thaw goes up against five seed Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT). Capital market activity is predicted to heat up due to stabilizing interest rates and a new merger-friendly FTC chairman, resulting in more acquisition by high-performing health systems and digital health consolidation by private equity firms. However, the CGT market expected to reach sales of $76.03 billion by 2030 and play a significant role in 2025, making this game one to watch.
Read about the trends in the other three regions: Care Delivery, Payment, and Technology.
What trends do you think are the biggest healthcare change-makers?
Join the conversation on LinkedIn and make your predictions by March 14.