U.S. healthcare professionals are grappling with the unsettling shift from a volume-based economic model to one focused on maintaining patient health rather than treating illness. As part of this transition, the traditional hospital-centric delivery system is being replaced by one that delivers non-acute care in outpatient settings that better match the scope and acuity of the problem and are conveniently located and accessible to patients.
You may be surprised to learn that this reinvention of healthcare did not begin with the Affordable Care Act. Avanza takes the long view with this infographic, illustrating how today’s movement toward a right-sized delivery model began decades ago as a result of private-sector innovations and public-sector interventions. More recently, federal mandates and economic necessity have accelerated the pace of change and heightened public awareness.
The direction we are headed is clear, even if the outcomes are not guaranteed. More healthcare will be delivered outside of traditional hospital facilities and inpatient stays will continue to decline. With healthcare delivery now kitchen-table conversation, patients and payers are becoming savvier consumers and will demand healthcare choices that are convenient, efficient, cost-effective and focused on prevention and wellness. To stay relevant, hospitals and other institutional providers must adopt delivery systems designed for the new healthcare economy.
For an independent perspective on re-engineering or relocating your healthcare services, contact Avanza at hello@avanzastrategies.com or 512.479.6700.
(to download this infographic as a hi-res jpg image file, click here)
