4 Healthcare Leadership Trends for 2015

Julie Shenkman
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Companies who analyze leadership trends for the new year are often more prepared to deal with challenges and adapt business practices to meet the needs of clients and customers. Health care leadership trends are especially important when hospitals, clinics and medical offices are in the business of improving the quality of life for patients. A renewed focus on quality care may aid your leaders in serving your clients in ways that can change lives.

Health care trends for 2015 indicate that health care leadership teams must face the challenge of balancing quality of care with savings, according to Zack Budryk with the National Association of ACOs. Pressure to cut expenses continue to plague leaders as reimbursement cuts are rampant amid higher patient volumes. Health care leadership involves making tough budget decisions on a fixed budget that do not reduce the ability to provide quality care for patients. An increase in technology to monitor patients remotely may impact these decisions as technology can be expensive in the short-term; however, leaders must evaluate the long-term savings involved in patient care.

An increase in providing education and awareness for population health is on the horizon for 2015. Leadership teams may find that partnering with community organizations, local schools and government organizations offer access to their patient base. Wellness programs and educational workshops that focus on prevention assist in reducing health care risks for the general population and patient base. Patients are increasingly more willing to monitor their own health with the use of technology, mobile applications and electronic monitoring devices, according to a Nexxt article. As a result, patients need reliable resources to back up the information they are seeking online.

Health care leadership changes may also be on the rise. Hospitals, clinics and medical offices seeking to reduce costs may evaluate the growing trends of tying executive compensation to performance. Organizations may seek to analyze clinical outcomes and patient engagement as means to provide incentives and bonuses common in non-health care industries to improve the quality of care while boosting the company's bottom line.

Physicians may also play a more prominent role in the health care industry in 2015. Trends indicate that more physicians are entering employment with health systems versus private practice, which increases the number of physicians involved in health care leadership. Physicians in executive roles may offer health care facilities specialized input focused on patient care, which is linked to broader organizational success.

The ever-changing health care industry prompts management teams to evaluate past practices and health care trends that may positively impact the future of the organization. Health care leadership teams who embrace population health, the prominent role of physicians in management and incentive programs focused on patient engagement may be better prepared to provide quality care for patients in 2015.

 

Photo Courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

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