/ en Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:55:13 -0500 Tue, 10 Dec 24 06:15:00 -0600 /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2024-12-10-assessing-health-care-environment-2025 <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Assessing-the-Health-Care-Environment-for-2025_0.png" data-entity-uuid="26b88094-b584-4174-8bce-4a0b75b739c7" data-entity-type="file" alt="Assessing the Health Care Environment for 2025. The cover of the 2025 Environmental Scan. Download your free copy today!" width="100%" height="100%"><p>Despite the significant upheaval in the retail health care sector over the past year, consumers still have plenty of choices for accessing care.</p><p>And as the recently released <a href="/environmentalscan">AHA 2025 Environmental Scan</a> points out, convenience in accessing care and affordability are primary drivers in consumers’ decision-making processes.</p><p>The AHA Environmental Scan contains data, surveys, trends, thought leadership and educational resources, illustrating some of the top issues facing the field, including workforce, financial stability, care delivery transformation and greater value. This scan can help leaders plan for the future of their organizations and consider ways the field can move forward together.</p><h2>Pay Close Attention to Access and Navigation</h2><p>In assessing factors that drive consumers to change providers or select a new provider, an Accenture survey from earlier this year highlighted the following:</p><ul><li><span><strong>89%</strong></span> of respondents said ease of navigation was the top factor that caused them to switch providers.</li><li><span><strong>70%</strong></span> cited access, which includes convenience, digital interaction, telehealth and customer service, as a top factor driving patients to select a new provider.</li><li><span><strong>53%</strong></span> said they selected a new provider based on a trusted physician or referral from a friend and the communication skills of the new provider.</li></ul><p>It’s worth noting that in navigational challenges cited by consumers, factors such as difficulty in doing business with the provider, bad experiences with the front desk or administrative staff, and problems with digital/online service and support solutions all weighed heavily in patients’ decisions to change providers.</p><h2>3 Ways to Improve the Consumer Navigation Experience</h2><p>Within the environmental scan, Lee Schwamm, M.D., senior vice president and chief digital health officer at Yale New Haven Health, offers three tips for creating an ideal digital state for consumers:</p><ul><li>Provide ubiquitous broadband and <span><strong>high-quality, affordable access</strong></span> not just for health care, but digital access in general, which will positively impact the social drivers of health.</li><li>Employ a <span><strong>cyber-secure platfor</strong></span><strong>m</strong> for data interoperability so devices and wearables can travel on a highly secure, standardized platform that is fully integrated with electronic health records.</li><li><span><strong>Deliver a better developed, autonomous layer/toolkit powered by artificial intelligence</strong></span> that would do much of the preprocessing and deliver standardization and uniformity. It must be equitable and accessible. Digital redlining is real.</li></ul><p>So, what do patients want from their overall digital health experiences and applications from providers? A report from Gozio Health this year found the following:</p><ul><li><span><strong>78%</strong></span> want to view or review lab tests in the providers’ apps.</li><li><span><strong>73%</strong></span> want to view their medical history online.</li><li><span><strong>73%</strong></span> want to message their providers within the apps.</li><li><span><strong>68%</strong></span> want to request medication refills through the apps.</li><li><span><strong>64%</strong></span> want to schedule appointments themselves through the apps.</li></ul><h2>Affordability Worries Many Consumers</h2><p>The rising cost of health insurance is another factor impacting consumers. Nearly one-third of consumers cited affordability as the most important factor in their health care experiences, noted a report this year from Huron Consulting.</p><p>Meanwhile, worries about being able to afford care and health insurance premiums are impacting a large percentage of the population, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report from this past spring. That report found the following:</p><ul><li><span><strong>47%</strong></span> of adults reported that it is difficult to afford health care costs.</li><li><span><strong>48%</strong></span> of insured adults worried about affording their monthly insurance premiums.</li><li><span><strong>One in four</strong></span> said that in the past year they skipped or postponed getting the health care they need because of cost.</li><li><span><strong>One in five</strong></span> said they did not fill a prescription because of cost while a similar percentage said they instead opted for over-the-counter alternatives.</li></ul><p><a href="/environmentalscan"><span><strong>Download the AHA 2025 Environmental Sca</strong></span><strong>n</strong></a> for a more complete look at the issues impacting the health care landscape.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" width="721" height="130" data-entity- type="file" class="align-center"></a></p><p><a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type alt width="360" height="300"></a></p></div></div></div>.field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } h2 { color: #9d2235; } Tue, 10 Dec 2024 06:15:00 -0600 Environmental Trends /news/headline/2022-06-30-hhs-reopens-voluntary-pledge-initiative-reduce-health-sector-emissions <p>The Department of Health and Human Services has reopened to new signatories until <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/climate-change-health-equity-environmental-justice/climate-change-health-equity/actions/health-care-sector-pledge/index.html">Oct. 28</a> the agency's voluntary initiative for health sector organizations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to new signatories until Oct. 28, which includes a webinar series and other resources for participants. <a href="/news/headline/2022-04-22-hhs-launches-voluntary-pledge-initiative-reduce-health-sector-emissions">Announced in April</a>, the initiative asked organizations to sign by June 3 a pledge to halve their emissions by 2030, among other actions. At a White House event today, the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/30/fact-sheet-health-sector-leaders-join-biden-administrations-pledge-to-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions-50-by-2030/">Administration said</a> the current 61 signers include organizations representing 650 hospitals.</p> <p>AHA is a member of the <a href="http://nam.edu/programs/climate-change-and-human-health/action-collaborative-on-decarbonizing-the-u-s-health-sector/">National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector</a>, a public-private partnership launched in 2021. <br />  </p> Thu, 30 Jun 2022 15:33:06 -0500 Environmental Trends /news/headline/2022-06-01-hhs-establishing-new-office-address-environmental-justice-issues <p>The Department of Health and Human Services yesterday announced it is establishing an <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/05/31/biden-harris-administration-establishes-hhs-office-of-environmental-justice.html">Office of Environmental Justice</a>. The OEJ will sit within the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity and act “to better protect the health of disadvantaged communities and vulnerable populations on the frontlines of pollution and other environmental health issues.”  </p> Wed, 01 Jun 2022 14:03:03 -0500 Environmental Trends <div class="container"> <div class="col-md-8"> <div class="col-md-5"> <p><a href="/presentation-resource/2020-11-12-2021-environmental-scan-presentation"><img alt="Environmental Scan 2021 PowerPoint Presentation Title Slide" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e5f8e6ce-4a99-492d-bf0b-dacca81ae408" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/es-2021-900x400.jpg" width="900" height="400"></a></p> </div> <p>This presentation offers an overview of the <a href="/environmentalscan-2021">2021 Environmental Scan</a>, outlining key themes and trends that the health care field is facing today during this time of transformation. The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has reshaped the health care environment, and understanding these changes will help hospital and health system leaders to strategize and plan for the future. This presentation is designed to share 2021 Environmental Scan insights with various stakeholders and your community.</p> <p>Please delete any slides you do not need before giving the presentation. We also encourage you to further personalize the presentation by adding examples of how these key themes are playing out in your organization and community.</p> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <div class="panel panel-default"> <div class="panel-heading"> <h3>Environmental Scan</h3> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" data-view-context="top-level-view" href="/environmentalscan" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Latest Edition</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 12 Nov 2020 09:56:34 -0600 Environmental Trends /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2019-12-10-tap-these-aha-resources-prepare-changes-2020 .field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } <div class="container row"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"> <p><img alt="AHA Market Scan 2020 Environmental Scan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32841fbe-6bdb-46e3-b606-ff6d42d115f1" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ms_121019_item2_environmental_scan_190_923421.jpg" width="190" height="127" class="align-right">From access to care to innovation to affordability and value to consumer engagement, 2020 will be another year of great change for health care. Hospital and health system leaders, their staffs and boards can get a jump on charting their strategic course for next year and beyond with help from the <a href="/environmentalscan">AHA 2020 Environmental Scan</a>.</p> <p>The Scan provides an overview of the trends, statistics and economic forecasts likely to impact patients and providers at every level of care and will help organizations plan for the future. The document covers:</p> <ul> <li>Access, including coverage and workforce issues.</li> <li>Health, including social determinants, behavioral health and aging.</li> <li>Innovation, including digital health, disruptive innovation and AI.</li> <li>Affordability and value, including cost to stakeholders, care delivery trends and performance improvement.</li> <li>Individuals as partners, including patient engagement in a digital, diverse world.</li> <li>The impact and landscape of hospitals and health systems, including the economic impact of hospitals, cybersecurity, rural health and general trends.</li> </ul> <p>Among the many trends explored in the report, innovation has become a key focus for many health care leaders and organizations. The report notes that 86% of health systems now have one or more executives responsible for innovation strategy and oversight.</p> <p>Recognizing consumers as partners in their own care has become an issue of growing importance to health care organizations, and the report provides a wealth of data on issues like what electronic capabilities increase the likelihood of an individual’s choice of a provider and health care factors that influence consumer decisions.</p> <p>Continue exploring AHA’s market intelligence, strategy and data resources by checking out these other resources:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ahadata.com/" target="_blank">AHA Data</a>: Get access to information provided by nearly 6,300 hospitals and more than 400 health systems.</li> <li><a href="/center/emerging-issues/market-insights">AHA Market Insights</a>: Reports, tools and resources on topics that are driving where health care is headed next.</li> <li><a href="/scanandplan">AHA Scan and Plan</a>: These resources will help you create a strategy for your unique situation and take action throughout the year.</li> </ul> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" data-entity- data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" type="file" class="align-center"></a></p> <a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img alt data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png"></a></div> </div> </div> Tue, 10 Dec 2019 09:17:22 -0600 Environmental Trends