With no movement on the future of health reform in 2017, the next year is likely to be just as uncertain, researchers at PwC say. They identify a dozen likely issues health care organizations will need to tackle, and recommend three strategies for success that focus on meeting consumer needs: collaborate to address tough issues like the opioid epidemic; invest in efforts to boost cybersecurity and patient experience; and create efficiencies across the organization by using artificial intelligence to streamline processes and by maximizing vendor relationships to cut costs. (
PwC report)
Payers relied on value-based contracting and narrow provider networks to reduce costs in 2017, and that trend will continue into next year, analysts say. To keep costs down, health plans will steer patients to high-value providers through bundled payment and center-of-excellence strategies. Expect more telehealth visits to keep costs down as well. Deductibles went from accounting for less than 25 percent of cost sharing to almost half over the last decade, so consumers are becoming more selective and
will demand more data to make cost and value choices. (
Healthcare Dive)
Health information leaders identified consumer-facing technology as a high priority in 2018, with an eye towards apps that can gather patient-generated data. More than nine in 10 of those surveyed said they planned to increase spending for cybersecurity. Other growth areas included telehealth services for stroke and mental health care, personalized medicine through predictive analysis and implementation of artificial intelligence solutions for areas like clinical decision support. (
Becker's Health IT & CIO Review)
Researchers are testing the effectiveness of senolytic drugs, which attack “zombie” cells in the body that release toxic and inflammatory compounds and proliferate with age and illness. The idea is to prevent many age-related conditions and achieve ideal aging— and there’s been success in animal studies. But research challenges and ethical questions abound: If trials are successful, who should get a pill that doesn’t cure a specific disease, but prevents aging? And who should pay for it? (
Politico)
Phillips acquired a Mayo-developed telehealth company specializing in remote patient monitoring this month. RPM is expected to surge in 2018 as baby boomers look for ways to manage chronic disease at home and health systems aim for new ways to coordinate their care and reduce hospital admissions. (
mHealthIntelligence)
Forget about social media posts touting yoga triumphs and long bike treks. Mental health wellness—and social media posts about how you spent your mental health day--is becoming more socially acceptable. Forbes points to a shift among employers to integrate digital health tools to boost mental wellness in work-based health portfolios. (
Forbes)
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New diabetes standards: The American Diabetes Association released new standards for diabetes care, including recommendations for increased screening and awareness of social determinants of health, plus individualized care to simplify medication regimens for older adults. (
Pharmacy Times)
The performance report for the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ ACO model programs points to subtle takeaways for success. In five charts, this
Health Affairs analysis highlights lessons learned. (
Health Affairs)
MarketVoices...quotes worth reading
Senolytics [anti-aging drugs] "could be crazy lucrative for a pharmaceutical [company] in a way that we might find problematic.”– McGill University bioethicist Jennifer Fishman, as quoted in
Politico.
