Wouldn’t you like to be able to tell the future? Think of all the ways knowing what is ahead of us in healthcare trends would allow us to be better prepared and even more proactive in risk management and patient safety.
There is one publication I have always found gives me that look into the future and helps me stay aware and knowledgeable about emerging trends in our industry. It is “Futurescan 2016-2021: Healthcare Trends and Implications,” which is published annually by the Society for Healthcare Strategy & Marketing Development (SHSMD) of the American Hospital Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). “Futurescan” allows me to be proactive in risk analysis and education as well as risk treatment.
The 2016-2021 edition covers the following topics:
- Engaging increasingly value-conscious patients and consumers
- Exploring capital models required to finance transitions in healthcare
- Identifying change management skills and competencies leaders need for the future
- Accelerating innovations that improve the value of healthcare
- Developing wellness programs that improve health and reduce medical costs
- Reengineering healthcare at a massive scale
- Assuming risk in caring for defined populations
- Integrating behavioral health and medical care
Personally, the behavioral health article was my favorite and of most value to me in my job. At least one in every five contacts (calls or event reports) I receive describes a concern with behavioral health. These range from providers seeking assistance and guidance with a patient experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts, to the emergency room reporting they are unable to place a patient into the behavioral healthcare system. The section on this topic puts forth the premise that there is no healthcare without mental healthcare. The article explores how mental healthcare models will be integrated with chronic illness care in the inpatient setting; how mental illness will play a significant role in readmissions; and how the integration of mental healthcare models into primary care will play a key role in the overall care and management of chronic disease.
“Futurescan” is written by an expert panel using data gathered from a survey of 507 healthcare leaders across the country. The leaders surveyed were CEO members of the ACHE and senior, provider-based members of SHSMD. The publication opens with a guide on using “Futurescan” and an introduction on transformation in healthcare highlighting the articles in the publication. Each article contains the survey questions and results, which I found insightful in learning what CEOs are thinking about the topics. Also highlighted in each article is a section, “What the practitioners predict.” Also, this gives a snapshot of what the trend being covered looks like in everyday life.
The articles contain a wealth of data presented in tables, graphs and infographics. They are well researched and referenced for more in-depth review and knowledge. ASHRM members can purchase a copy of “Futurescan” at the SHSMD member-discounted rate by clicking this title “Futurescan.”
