Series: The Hospital Of The Future

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Hospital systems seek sustainability, scale, and relevance. Models that rethink tradition will thrive.

Josh Michelson and Ran Strul

The “Hospital of the Future” series is a guide for leaders to better understand what's on the horizon for health systems. Below, we summarize three installments. In part 1, we explore the top strategic pursuits most health systems are advancing today. In part 2, we highlight examples of innovation driving new services and operating models. In part 3, we explore the long-term future of hospital-based health systems and predict which models will differentiate and thrive over the next decade.

Part 1: Nine Market Pressure Points for Health Systems

Hospital-based health systems, from those operating in a single small town in Middle America to those caring for a patient population in the millions, all face pressure to remain innovative, competitive, and agile. Competitors seek to redefine the care delivery experience by disrupting consumers' front door entry into the healthcare system. According to Oliver Wyman's research of over 30 large hospital systems with more than $1.5 billion in combined revenue, here are nine of the most common near-term strategic initiatives large organizations are focused on. From cost cutting to physician engagement to value-based care, are hospital systems focusing their immediate attention, money, and energy in a way that will keep their competitive edge sharp enough to thrive?

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Part 2: Innovation Examples Driving Impact

What does a successful future system look like, anyway? Well, several innovative organizations are leaning more towards things like partnerships and digital reinvention to bridge the gap between where the industry sits today and the differentiated health system of tomorrow. Here, we highlight eleven examples of how organizations are expanding the boundaries of what "healthcare delivery" really means. Precision medicine, the virtual hospital, and digital-first care delivery are merely a few components of what to potentially expect next.

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Part 3: Envisioning the Health System of Tomorrow

Hospital systems, both large and small, can't all reach for the same North Star. In time, select systems will emerge victorious, capturing top market share and consumer dollars. Different health system models (or a blend of different models) will emerge in time, each requiring focused excellence to win. Here's how six emerging archetypes, including the scale and efficency leader, population health manager, and the "non-hospital" system, will likely evolve in time.

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Authors
  • Josh Michelson and
  • Ran Strul