HIMSS makes 4 healthcare predictions for 2019 | Healthcare IT News

HIMSS today published “2019 Healthcare Trends Forecast: The Beginning of a Consumer-Driven Reformation,” a report that features commentary and analysis from leaders across HIMSS, Healthbox, Health 2.0 and PCHAlliance – each of whom have a birds-eye view of industry trends and the levers of change.

By issuing this new annual forecast, HIMSS aims to equip industry leaders – clinicians, solution providers, payers, academics and policymakers alike – with insight and perspectives to inform better clinical and financial outcomes for all.

Four key trends

The report is organized around four key trends: digital health implications and applications, consumer impact, financial and demographic challenges and issues around data governance and policy.

The report stated that digital health innovators will need to demonstrate greater tangible results. Digital health tools have been riding the peak of the hype cycle for several years now, but 2019 will be the year that digital health will need to answer for the way technology will increase access to care and narrow gaps in care and coverage, the report said.

“Consumer pressure and the policy/regulatory environment will be big drivers of greater accountability,” the report said. “Government barriers to digital health innovation will continue to drop as the FDA Precertification (Pre-Cert) Pilot Program and CMS Innovation Center open the door to innovation.”

At the same time, policymakers are going to be more aggressive about exploring policy changes that can speed up the time to market for tools that increase patient access, improve healthcare efficiencies, decrease provider burden and create new pathways for care delivery that don’t require hospital stays, the report said.

“Against this backdrop, it will no longer be enough to bring to market the next bright, shiny gadget,” the HIMSS report stated. “Digital health tools will need to answer for the way technology will increase access to care and narrow gaps in care and coverage. There will be increased pressure to standardize systems for advanced interoperability to help improve the way information is shared and care is administered, and to do so more quickly than ever before.”