2014 continued to see massive evolution in health care – from digital health innovations to the maturation of technologies in genomics, genome editing and regenerative medicine to the configuration of the health care system itself. We asked leaders from the clinical, research and business corners of Boston Children’s Hospital to weigh in with their forecasts for 2015.
1. Industry will angle to engage with patients
Three converging trends – savvy consumers demanding more engagement from care providers, hospitals facing pressures to reduce costs, and a move toward new payment models – are pushing industry players to take a closer look at how to reach patients beyond the acute care setting.
Look for more consumer-centered innovations, like DisCo (supported by the Boston Children’s Hospital’s Innovation Acceleration Program) which closes the post-discharge communication loop by sending automated check-in messages to the patient’s cell phone or e-mail. If the patient responds with a problem or a concern, a nurse phones to address the issue.
To keep up with ever-changing consumer demand, companies will continue to invest in innovation, and especially in digital health. The endgame will be to develop solutions that meet consumers’ health needs and seamlessly integrate into their lifestyle. Look to examples in CVS’s newly announcedHealth Digital Innovation Lab and Walgreens’ telemedicine app offering 24/7 physician access, as these two companies battle over who can better reach, engage and retain retail health care consumers. – Gena Koufos, RN, MS, MBA, Program Manager, Innovation Acceleration Program, Boston Children’s Hospital
2. Consumers will begin to vote with their wallets
