Written by Dave Griffin, Vice President, Support Services - iatricSystems, Inc.
In recent years, the healthcare industry has undergone rapid and radical changes that have shifted the way hospitals, medical professionals, and patients interact. Looking forward to 2023, it’s now time to focus on forecasting where healthcare may be headed this coming year and beyond. There are several predictions that healthcare professionals should be aware of as you plan for the new year to make well informed decisions when navigating upcoming changes in healthcare.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that Remote Patient Care or Monitoring (RPM) isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, it looks like telemedicine is here to stay. According to Doximity researchers, “over 73% of patients report that they plan to receive care through telemedicine after the pandemic.” [1] This has lead researchers to predict that, “up to $106 billion of current U.S. healthcare spending could be virtualized by 2023.” [2]
With more people being comfortable with the idea of remote care, there will continue to be an increased demand for virtual visits in 2023. In addition to the easy accessibility of remote care, Telehealth also offers financial benefits for both patients and providers, as well as improved access for those who can’t leave their homes due to health reasons or other limitations.
In the "work from anywhere" post-pandemic world, healthcare organizations are facing a unique challenge: staffing shortages. Not only in clinical roles, but IT roles as well. Companies have found it difficult to draw talented tech professionals away from larger employers, like those in finance and technology. This new reality is making recruitment of top-tier IT personnel for health care even more challenging and expensive than before.
In light of rising costs, many medical practices are turning to managed services as a way of minimizing expenses while still providing quality care. These services include everything from practice management systems, billing software, and cloud storage solutions that help streamline operations and reduce overhead costs. Managed services provide more efficient patient care and allows healthcare providers more time to focus on what really matters — the patient experience.
For hospitals in need of a helping hand, whether due to workforce shortages or audit constraints, iatricSystems’ managed services for patient privacy monitoring offer an ideal solution. Hospital organizations of any size can utilize managed services as needed — allowing flexibility within their budget, without sacrificing quality care.
With an increased use of technology comes an increased risk of violating HIPAA laws. As more data is collected digitally, there is an even greater need for security measures to protect patient information from falling into the wrong hands or being misused by malicious users online. Healthcare organizations must remain vigilant when it comes to protecting sensitive patient data in order to avoid costly HIPAA violations in 2023 and beyond.
With new updates to HIPAA regulations that are to come in 2023 [3], hospitals must have a reliable privacy monitoring solution that can keep up with their workload and the ever-changing regulations. Privacy monitoring solutions that implement automation, AI, and more advanced methods can not only reduce the workload of privacy teams, but can also ensure PHI is appropriately accessed and remains protected. Reducing false positives prevents privacy teams from wasting unnecessary time and resources, while also eliminating potential HIPAA violations through limited false negatives—delivering optimal results for effective data security overall.
Burnout among healthcare providers has been a major issue for years now, and there is no sign of it slowing down anytime soon. With increasing demands from patients and insurance companies, combined with longer hours, many healthcare professionals are feeling overwhelmed and burned out at work. To combat this problem, healthcare organizations need to put a greater emphasis on burnout prevention in 2023.
Organizations must come up with innovative strategies for both new staff members as well as current employees to stay engaged, focusing not only on financial compensation but also mental wellbeing. Implementing strategies such as stress management programs, regular breaks throughout the day, peer support groups, and more can make staff feel more supported at work. However, underperformance due to burnout can also be a result of too little staff taking on an excess amount of work. In addition to supporting the mental wellbeing of healthcare professionals, implementing new technology that utilizes automation and AI can streamline workflows and reduce unnecessary administrative tasks when possible — lessening the burden of a heavy workload.
We are living in an age where healthcare is changing rapidly and will continue to do so in the coming years. We hope these predictions provided a glimpse into what is to be expected in the near future and help you stay ahead of the curve. At iatricSystems, we’re committed to helping our clients navigate these changes and optimize the safety and security within their organizations. For more information on how iatricSystems can enhance your patient safety, please contact us at info@iatric.com.
[1]https://c8y.doxcdn.com/image/upload/Press%20Blog/Research%20Reports/Doximity-Telemedicine-Report-2022.pdf
[2]https://c8y.doxcdn.com/image/upload/v1599769894/Press%20Blog/Research%20Reports/2020-state-telemedicine-report.pdf
[3]https://nursa.com/blog/hipaa-2023-news-violations-healthcare-facilities-should-know-about/
