Commentary
ROUND OF 16 RESULTS: CINDERELLAS CAUSE MAYHEM, SHOW NEXT-LEVEL CHANGE IN HEALTHCARE
What a difference a year makes! In the 2023 March Healthcare Classic, all Cinderellas were eliminated in the Round of 32. This year, we’ve got Cinderellas for days – in fact, the Delivery Region is the only region that doesn’t have a seven or eight-seed making it to the Round of 16. And we’re seeing a clear pattern among the winners: the trends that are focused on patients and consumers are taking a definite edge over those that do not.
Could we be on the cusp of a new, patient-centric age in healthcare?
Could we be on the cusp of a new, patient-centric age in healthcare? In the Round of 16, prepare for overtime games, more upsets, and two one-seeds still in the hunt!
Watch our video playlist to find out how the trends fared in each of the four regions for the Rounds of 16 & 8.
Explore the interactive bracket and watch the tournament unfold weekly on our LinkedIn page, where you can join the discussion too!
Who’s moving on to the Round of 8? Let’s dive in!
HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE REGION
Lasting Effects of GLP1s Bests Proving VBC Enablement
Upset! The energy that Lasting Effects of GLP1s (8) brought to their first game and helped them defeat a one seed continued to power them in the Round of 16. With a blistering 4-0 defeat of Proving VBC Enablement (5), the Selection Committee bowed to the overwhelming, immediate, and massively potential impact of GLP1s on patient health outcomes.
Monitoring the HATCo Effect Fails to Advance Past Pursuit of Vertical Integration
Overtime alert! Despite excitement for Monitoring the HATCo Effect (6) during the Round of 32, this team ultimately fell to the Pursuit of Vertical Integration (2) during overtime in this sweaty battle between, as one Committee member said, “innovating and acquiring your way to better economic stability.”
DELIVERY REGION
Focus on Women’s Health Vanquishes Rise of Retail Health
Upset! One of the two one-seeds left in the championship, Rise of Retail Health (1) was unable to withstand the strength and stamina of Focus on Women’s Health (5), in another upset that appears to be a defining characteristic of this year’s tournament. The significance of reproductive health plus the decision-making power of women clinched the 3-1 win for Focus on Women’s Health (5).
Mental and Behavioral Integration Boots Increase in Leveraged Delivery Models
Double overtime alert! On one side, two Committee members viewed Increase in Leveraged Delivery Models (3) as just shorthand for clinician shortage – which is not news. On the other side, two Committee Members believed the Mental and Behavioral Health Integration (2) to be all talk and no walk. Both sides were in it to win, and neither blinked, requiring the Moderator to step in to push the 3-2 win to Mental and Behavioral Integration (2).
PAYMENT REGION
Medicare Advantage Marches Over Mark Cuban Effect
Despite the glitter of the Mark Cuban Effect (5), it buckled under the enormous influence of the monster trend, Evolution of Medicare Advantage (1) and its direct impact on products and profitability for the millions of people covered under MA plans. Mark Cuban Effect (5) had an excellent debut performance, and it’s likely we will see them in a future tournament.
Economic Impact of SDoH and Health Equity Survives Growing Primary Care Memberships
Upset! Economic Impact of SDoH and Health Equity (7) is proving to have great staying power this year – advancing in the Round of 16 past the flashy (or maybe flash-in-the-pan-y) Growing Primary Care Memberships (3) in a 4-0 win. While it’s unclear just how the industry will effectively incorporate SDoH and health equity, it’s very clear that any trend involving SDoH and health equity is playing the long game.
TECHNOLOGY REGION
Expansion of Self-Care Dismisses Greater Interoperability of Tech and Data
Upset AND Overtime Alert! In a surprise among surprises, Expansion of Self-Care (8) continues its improbable journey in a 3-2 overtime score – upending a trend with stronger immediate regulatory implications but perhaps less expectation of impact in 2024.
Real Impact of Price Transparency Prevails Over Personalization of Medicine
In this battle between upsetters – both of them patient-centric trends – the Real Impact of Price Transparency (6) edges out Personalization of Medicine (7) in a 3-1 victory, primarily due to the more widespread impact of price transparency on all industry stakeholders, including patients.
Which trends do you think will shape the industry in 2024?
Join the conversation and share your predictions on LinkedIn.