Every year in December, we get asked to submit predictions to different publications, associations, and partners. Honestly, it is a really fun part of wrapping up the year. You start thinking about what's next and what the impact will be. So, we submitted quite a few, and some were picked up and some weren't. We say waste not want not, and so we are sharing summaries of a few of our favorite predictions here.
Prediction 1: Personalization Is Coming
Increasing patient engagement and utilization will take more than offering tools and technologies. It requires creating the kind of personalized experience patients have in other areas of their lives. Think about Amazon or Netflix and they way they make recommendations and “get to know” their users. 2024 is the year we will crack the code on creating far more personalized consumer experiences in healthcare.
Prediction 2: Crowning Collaboration as King
Health systems face many of the same challenges, but how they approach them can vary widely. It’s why we have so many point solutions in healthcare. In 2023 we’ve seen a desire among healthcare leaders to streamline their tech stack. In 2024, we will see more collaboration among technology vendors looking to solve bigger problems by showing that they can work together seamlessly.
Prediction 3: You're Going to Need More than a Portal
It's time to stop thinking of a patient portal as a digital strategy. They are not one in the same. In 2024, healthcare organizations that don’t move beyond this mindset will fall behind as the forward thinkers acknowledge that while patient portals are necessary, they can’t deliver the kind of consumer-driven experience patients are looking for. They lack many of the features and functions people most want like robust patient access options, wayfinding, and AI Assistants. They aren’t mobile native, so they also lack the features everyone has come to expect from a mobile experience like talk-to-text and location awareness. People are going to choose the mobile experience that reflects what they have in other areas of their lives.
In addition to the predictions we submitted, we've been watching what others are sharing from end of the year surveys and interviews. A couple of things stand out. First, the healthcare workforce and costs are continuing to be a problem. Systems are looking at how they can do more with less. One area is in reducing IT staff and the overall tech stack in favor of vendors who can implement and manage the technology. This may have the biggest impact in areas like patient engagement. We'll be keeping a close eye on that.
We wish you a happy New Year and greater success in 2024. And on a final note, we'd remind our readers that healthcare organizations that invest in digital solutions to streamline efficiency and improve the experience for staff and patients have repeatedly been shown to see better financial results. So if creating a seamless patient experience is a priority for you, let's chat about your digital strategy.