The last few years of pandemic-induced healthcare policy, investment, and market adaptation have led to:

  • Trouble for American hospitals now seeking to “reinvent” their reputations and business models…
  • The best years ever for health tech, telehealth, virtual care, other digital health startups…
  • The rise of the healthcare consumer, who was forced to take on more responsibility for their healthcare than ever before…
  • An empowered retail health industry that became “essential” for both Covid shots and, now, a growing menu of healthcare delivery…
  • And a US population that is fatter, sicker, and more mentally vulnerable than ever before – scaring both commercial and government payers and threatening the health of their bottom lines…

So, now what? As US healthcare “re-opened” in 2021 and this past year saw the integration of pandemic investments in virtual care tech, a double-down on investment in new care delivery models among a-traditional providers, and a cultural shift in the ways patients prefer to “do” healthcare, hospitals not only face a revenue crisis – but an identity crisis.

What role will hospitals play – especially rural hospitals – if the Dollar General down the road is now providing urgent care? If UnitedHealth’s Optum is now offering home healthcare? And, if any number of telemedicine startups  – offering everything from substance abuse disorder recovery programs to weight loss clinics and diabetes management to lactation support for new moms – exist online and at a lower cost?

Let’s explore:

  • What the heck happened to healthcare as a result of covid-fueled innovation and investment over the past two years. Trends explored will include omnichannel virtual care strategies, health in the home, the rise of the health coach, and direct-to-patient care models.
  • How *everyone* is now in care delivery. And, how big payers, big health systems, big retailers and big investors might eventually cast small hospitals into a role they really don’t want to play.
  • Where there is hope. The sexy partnerships, technologies, and new models that are cropping up that give hospitals new relevance and revenue opportunities to keep them in the fight.