The Future of Health Care – Consumerism, Price Transparency & Distributive Healthcare Networks
I always used to say that nothing is new in healthcare. It’s been done somewhere, someplace already in the world, or is just a recycled strategy prettied up to look like the present. In many ways, hospitals and health systems are like the teams of the NFL, the ultimate copy-cat league. When one or two teams have success with the strategy, tactics, and game planning, the rest of the league follows to varying degrees, same with hospitals, health systems, and other medical providers.
The above statement is not, by any means, a slam. It just is what it is. This observation on my part comes from over 30 years of working in the healthcare industry. When you still see hospital marketing in 2020 as I did in the 1990s, it’s a “come on man” moment for me.
Things are a-changing.
This time, however, the change feels real. The changing healthcare landscape feels different. And the change is not being driven by hospitals, health systems, or other medical providers, but by the government, payers, and entrepreneurs.
Think about the future of healthcare with three major drivers.
If the real aim is medical care delivered at the right time, in the right place, at the right cost, it follows then that consumerism, price transparency, and the decentralization of healthcare are the how and lasting change will come to healthcare.
Power to the people and healthcare marketing’s new role.
If one examines the pace of change and innovation, it’s easy to envision marketing’s role more on the experience and demand management side of the equation, building a healthcare brand that is distributive with the service and treatment location that best suits the healthcare consumer’s needs.
Medical services priced right and transparent. Health care services based on the healthcare needs of the consumer, not what a provider thinks it should be or is an unnecessary duplication of the provider's services down the street. And, can be delivered is a setting or location that is not hospital-based, which is far more convenient to the consumers.
Think about how a distributive computer network operates. The same concept applied on a vastly larger scale. Healthcare prices will decrease in this model. Price wars will take place. Consumerism, price transparency, and healthcare delivered as a distributive network are the great agents of change.
Instead of the consumer moving to the beat of the hospital or health system needs, the system is more responsive and moves to the patient's needs.
It is also potentially more user-friendly, resulting in greater engagement, experience, and adherence.
After all, I only need a hospital for three things- acute complex medical care, emergency care, and intensive care and if I have a family, potentially a PICU or NICU. After that, I can obtain my care in a distributive healthcare network that is priced right, consumer-focused (think experience) convenient, accessible and of higher quality.
Discuss.
Michael is a healthcare business, marketing, communications strategist, and thought-leader. As an internationally followed healthcare strategy blogger, his blog, Healthcare Marketing Matters, is read in 52 countries and listed on the 100 Top Healthcare Marketing Blogs, and Websites ranked at No. 3 on the list by Feedspot.com. Michael is a Life Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives. An expert in healthcare marketing strategy, digital marketing, and social media, Michael is in the top 10 percent of social media experts nationwide and is considered an established influencer. For inquiries regarding strategic consulting engagements, email me at Michael at michael@themichaeljgroup.com. Opinions expressed are my own.
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