Top 5 Healthcare Trends: Telehealth, Blockchain, VBC & More

In the ever-evolving healthcare domain, staying abreast of emerging trends is imperative for conquering the challenges and making the most of this year's opportunities. With so much to come, here are the top 5 healthcare trends we expect to dominate the landscape this year and beyond.

1. Telehealth

Telehealth is at the top of our list of healthcare trends! While not brand new, it continues to be shaped by emerging technology such as artificial intelligence (AI). Incorporating AI into telehealth will help enhance efficiency, accessibility, and patient outcomes by:

• Offering virtual consultations powered by AI chatbots

• Improving remote diagnostics with machine learning algorithms

• Integrating real-time analytics using remote patient monitoring devices

• Supporting decision-making and the creation of personalized treatment plans 

We're already seeing AI being implemented in these ways, but this year will continue to bring advancements in terms of accessibility, reliability, and security. As experts continue tackling key challenges — such as dataset biases — AI will be an integral part of healthcare delivery, especially in rural and remote situations. 

2. Blockchain

For an industry inundated with sensitive and critical patient data, blockchain technology can introduce enhanced security, transparency, and interoperability while reducing administrative burden. 

The uninitiated may associate blockchain with cryptocurrency. It's actually the underlying infrastructure and can be completely separated from the cryptocurrency concept. Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed ledger technology that can ensure secure and transparent record-keeping. It addresses several critical challenges in healthcare, including data integrity, interoperability, and patient privacy.

One notable aspect of blockchain's design is that it ensures it cannot be altered once data is recorded. This immutability enhances the integrity of healthcare data, and it can also support patient control. Blockchain also facilitates standardized formatting to improve interoperability amongst healthcare systems and streamline processes. All of these things make blockchain one of the top healthcare trends on our list. 

Looking long-term, widespread adoption of blockchain technology would enable the creation of a global healthcare network — a utopia of sorts for those who dream of moving to a patient-centric industry informed by real-time data, automated diagnostics, and effective acuity management.

3. Value-Based Care

Value-based care (VBC) represents a transformative approach to healthcare delivery, diverging from traditional fee-for-service models. Instead, this paradigm shift prioritizes the quality and outcomes of patient care over the volume of services provided. However, traditional systems simply make VBC infeasible, and only through the implementation of automation, AI, and interoperable systems can the industry achieve VBC at scale.

VBC emphasizes preventive care, chronic disease management, and overall wellness. Achieving this requires personalized treatment programs, adherence to evidence-based practices, and a highly collaborative approach to care delivery. In turn, achieving those things will take seamless communication, shared decision-making, and a holistic approach to patient well-being amongst all healthcare providers.

Anticipated developments in value-based care include: 

• Advanced Analytics and Predictive Modeling: Increased reliance on advanced analytics and predictive modeling will enable healthcare providers to identify high-risk patients, predict potential health issues, and proactively intervene to improve outcomes.

• Expansion of Alternative Payment Models: APMs, such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and bundled payments, will likely expand to align financial incentives with quality outcomes, encouraging providers to deliver efficient and effective care.

• Digital Health Integration: Integrating digital health technologies, including telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and wearable devices, will facilitate continuous patient engagement, data collection, and real-time monitoring.

• Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Integration: VBC will increasingly incorporate factors like socioeconomic status, housing, and access to healthy food. 

• Personalized and Precision Medicine: Advances in genomic medicine and personalized treatment plans will play a significant role in tailoring interventions based on an individual's genetic makeup and health history. 

• Regulatory Refinements: Regulatory frameworks must evolve to support and incentivize VBC adoption. This may involve refining payment models, expanding performance measures, and providing additional support for healthcare organizations transitioning to value-based models.

4. Precision Medicine

Precision medicine is a groundbreaking approach to healthcare well worth mentioning in our top 5 healthcare trends that seeks to tailor medical treatment and interventions to a patient's unique characteristics. It goes beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all model by considering individual genetic makeup, lifestyle, environment, and other factors. 

Looking to 2024 healthcare trends and beyond, precision medicine will likely become a greater focus of healthcare professionals. 

• Genomics and Beyond: Whole-genome sequencing and comprehensive analysis of genetic data will become routine, allowing for a deeper understanding of an individual's predispositions and susceptibilities.

• Integration of Multi-Omics Data: Beyond genomics, integrating data from other 'omics' fields such as proteomics, metabolomics, and epigenomics will provide a more comprehensive view of an individual's biological profile. 

• Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicine: Machine learning algorithms will identify patterns and correlations within large datasets, enabling more accurate predictions of disease risk, treatment responses, and potential adverse events.

• Targeted Therapies and Immunotherapies: The development of targeted therapies designed to address specific genetic or molecular abnormalities will accelerate. These therapies aim to maximize efficacy while minimizing side effects, offering more precise and tailored treatment options for various diseases.

While promising, the industry must continue tackling the data privacy and ethical considerations revolving around the latest and greatest technologies (like AI). This is needed to bring precision medicine to clinical practice. And, as more data moves into the cloud to fuel these systems, we expect a major trend in cybersecurity resilience. 

5. Cybersecurity Resilience

Achieving cybersecurity resilience means taking a comprehensive and proactive approach to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyber threats and attacks. It goes beyond traditional cybersecurity measures by minimizing the impact of cyber threats on operations, data integrity, and reputation. A top 5 healthcare trends would not be complete without highlighting cybersecurity resilience.

Achieving cybersecurity resilience will involve a combination of technology, policies, procedures, and a culture of security awareness. Some of the key components that we expect the healthcare industry to gravitate toward include:

• Collaborative information sharing to help detect emerging threats and enhance best practices 

• Fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness by instilling a sense of shared responsibility in teams

• Implementing "zero-trust" architecture, biometric authentication, and other safeguards

While cybercriminals continue to leverage emerging tech rapidly, leading organizations like IBM are helping organizations keep stride. We expect the healthcare industry to continue making major financial investments in this area and refine regulations to improve data sharing without compromising integrity.

How TempDev Can Help

For whatever lies ahead, and the next top 5 healthcare trends, TempDev is here to help. Our team of healthcare IT experts can guide you through the software implementation process and ensure you get the most out of your new solutions. Don't wait to optimize your critical systems when our seasoned NextGen consultants are ready to help boost your workflows, increase productivity, and improve your revenue through expert healthcare IT solutions. Contact us today!