2019 HEALTHCARE TRENDS FORECAST: THE BEGINNING OF A CONSUMER-DRIVEN REFORMATION 

The well-known proverb “may you live in interesting times” is considered by many to be a blessing, yet others believe it is actually an ancient curse. People’s interpretation tends to correspond with their own appetite for change, as well as their comfort (or lack of) in the face of ambiguity. Regardless of the adage’s origin and intent, many would agree that these are interesting times for healthcare. In fact, at HIMSS we believe healthcare is currently undergoing a period of reformation on a scope and scale that is unmatched.

A perfect storm of factors – including the shift toward value-based care, rising costs, health system consolidation, the approaching silver tsunami, regulatory pressures, increased consumerization, major technology players entering the market and the ever-expanding potential of digital health tools – are coalescing and fundamentally disrupting business models. Traditional healthcare institutions are in reactive mode. Upstarts are finding that healthcare is not as easily disrupted as industries like retail. For nearly everyone, there are more questions than answers.

At HIMSS, we believe it is our responsibility to help the industry make sense of these changes and tap into the promise and potential of information and technology. With that premise, we are introducing an annual forecast report. Bringing together insights from leadership across HIMSS and our subsidiaries, we’re aiming to shine a light around the corner and help illuminate the path to clinical and financial health.

Read on for our predictions for the industry in 2019.

The full article can be downloaded below.