As health care continues to transform this year, executives will face challenges related to finances, technology, workforce and other areas. Across the field, thought leaders have been busy offering their best guesses, insights and predictions for how this year is likely to shake out. Here is what caught our attention.
4 Takeaways for 2024 Planning
1 | Align your digital health strategy as legacy systems are sunset.
Many health care organizations are at the midpoint of their digital transformation and most leaders expect that the continued adoption of digital tools will impact their 2024 strategy, notes a recent Deloitte survey of providers and payers. Organizations should focus on integrating components across their facilities. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to address issues like increasing access, reducing wait times and minimizing administrative burdens on clinicians.
Bill Fera, M.D., a principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP, urges organizations to incorporate generative AI in parallel with other technologies as they retire legacy hardware and transition to the digital realm. This will be important as consumers turn to generative AI to help make decisions about their health and well-being, locate clinicians, learn about medical conditions and understand treatment options.
Takeaway
Moving to a single digital system and sunsetting others can be disruptive, expensive and time-consuming. But as generative AI matures, we could begin to see measurable improvements in everything from higher efficiency levels to better consumer experiences across all facets of health care, Deloitte explains.
2 | Expand the role of community health workers (CHWs).
As organizations increasingly adopt models that address both clinical and nonclinical aspects of patient needs, CHWs are poised to play a pivotal role in enhancing quality, facilitating care coordination, alleviating provider burdens and fostering trust among patients, Cheryl Pegus, M.D., managing director of Morgan Health Ventures, stated in a recent Forbes report.
Takeaway
Projections indicate a 14% growth in employment of CHWs from 2022 to 2032, Pegus notes. This shift reflects a strategic response to workforce challenges, underscoring the vital contribution of expanded roles within health care teams.
3 | Be creative when building and retaining your workforce.
More and more providers are negotiating contracts that include a weekday off and hybrid work from home (e.g., telehealth) and clinic models, Samantha L. Prokop, head of the health care transactions team at the Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart law firm, wrote recently.
Takeaway
While salaries are important, so is culture, Prokop noted. Forward-thinking leaders will do their research and listen to their employees to determine how to retain and attract talent.
4 | Develop sticky relationships with consumers.
Medical inflation, combined with rising coverage costs, could leave consumers with higher out-of-pocket costs this year, Deloitte says. Consumers are at the heart of health care’s shift from consolidation and fragmentation to convergence, and many tend to make purchasing decisions based on price and convenience.
When consumers can receive an online product order in a day or less from retailers, many are frustrated when they must wait weeks or months for a medical appointment. Deloitte’s research on trust shows that about half of focus group participants said they would be willing to trade in-person visits and the convenience of a closer location for a provider who relates to them and understands their needs.
Takeaway
Provider organization leaders have an opportunity to influence the decisions of health care consumers by providing digital tools that can help them navigate their health care journey. Offering more affordable care options such as telehealth can help to ensure that patients continue to receive necessary care. Cracking that code could increase stickiness and loyalty.
FAQs
This year's theme was chosen to champion the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.
What is health 2024? ›
This year's theme was chosen to champion the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.
What are the goals of the American Hospital Association? ›
To advance the health of all individuals and communities. The AHA leads, represents and serves hospitals, health systems and other related organizations that are accountable to communities and committed to equitable care and health improvement for all.
What is the strategic planning of a hospital? ›
Strategic planning in health care involves a comprehensive analysis of the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This analysis is used to identify areas of improvement and develop strategies to help the organization achieve its goals.
What are the goals of hospitals? ›
Providing Quality Healthcare: One of the primary goals of hospitals is to deliver high-quality healthcare services to patients. This involves ensuring accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and compassionate care.
What is the slogan for health Day 2024? ›
Theme of World Health Day 2024
The theme for this year's World Health Day 'My health, my right' highlights that getting access to essential health services should no longer be a privilege but one's right.
What is the theme of the World Health Assembly 2024? ›
The Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly is being held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 27 May – 1 June 2024. The theme of this year's Health Assembly is: All for Health, Health for All. During the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly, a series of strategic roundtables will be held.
What are the three goals of healthcare? ›
Improving the U.S. health care system requires simultaneous pursuit of three aims: improving the experience of care, improving the health of populations, and reducing per capita costs of health care.
What is an example of a strategic plan in healthcare? ›
Here are some specific examples of how you can use strategic planning: Boosting Patient Care Quality: Tackle specific challenges like lowering the rates of hospital-acquired infections or enhancing the coordination of patient care.
What is the main purpose of the AHA? ›
For nearly 100 years, the American Heart Association has been fighting heart disease and stroke and helping families and communities thrive. Explore the map below to see how your support has made a difference in our nation and in the places you and your loved ones call home.
A SWOT analysis provides programs and organizations with a clear, easy-to-read map of internal and external factors that may help or harm a project, by listing and organizing a project's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
What are the six strategic plans? ›
Read ahead to learn more about the six vital elements of strategic planning: vision, mission, objectives, strategy, approach, and tactics.
What is an example of a smart goal in a hospital? ›
Examples Of SMART Goals For Nursing
- Simple goal: I want to show more compassion and empathy to my patients.
- SMART nursing goal: I will spend an extra five minutes with each new patient and ask questions about their lives to learn at least three interests we can discuss to distract them from stress about their condition.
These goals include: effective, safe, efficient, patient-centered, equitable, and timely care.
What is a mission statement for healthcare? ›
Mission statements communicate health care organizations' fundamental purposes and can help potential patients choose where to seek care and employees where to seek employment. They offer limited benefit, however, when patients do not have meaningful choices about where to seek care, and they can be misused.
WHO hand hygiene theme 2024? ›
Accelerate action together.
This year, the focus is on promoting knowledge and capacity building of health and care workers through innovative and impactful training and education on infection prevention and control, including hand hygiene.
What are the COVID symptoms in 2024? ›
What are the symptoms of KP.2? The symptoms are similar to those associated with other variants, including fever or chills, cough, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, headache, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of tast or smell, brain fog and stomach upset.
What is the best value based care conference? ›
The CVS Accountable Care Symposium is the premier value-based care conference and networking event in the nation. Healthcare professionals and thought leaders from across the country convene to learn new methodologies, hear success stories, take away best practice tips, and network directly with their colleagues.
What does health mean for WHO? ›
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
