Page 76 - BusinessWest December 9, 2024

A Shifting Landscape
New Demographics, Technology, Ideas Shape Healthcare Outlook
BY JOSEPH BEDNAR
[email protected]
“The shortage
of healthcare providers has significant implications for the health sector, as it affects the access, quality, and cost of healthcare, as well as the health outcomes and satisfaction of the population.”
Healthcare is changing.
That’s a statement that rings true in any year, but the scope of workforce and financial challenges, evolv-
ing healthcare technology, and other shifts — many discussed by area hospital executives in the story on page 26 — make this an especially uncertain time. Here are four more topics we’ll be talking about as we turn the calendar to 2025.
A High-tech Revolution
High on any list of healthcare trends is the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its role in transforming the healthcare landscape, offering opportunities for innovation, but also challenges.
“There’s no doubt about it: AI has revolutionized health- care, driving innovation across the industry,” writes Nicole Witowski, senior content writer at Massachusetts-based Definitive Healthcare. “From life sciences to healthcare providers and suppliers, AI is enabling more accurate diag- nostics, personalized treatments, streamlined operations, and much more. In 2025, AI’s role will continue to expand further, particularly in areas like drug discovery, predictive analytics, and operational efficiency.”
Bernard Marr, a writer, influencer, and futurist who spe- cializes in the intersections between business and technol- ogy, wrote in Forbes that personalized healthcare today means more than just precision medicine — it’s about tap-
ping into the power of AI and data to address every aspect of a patient’s unique needs.
“Think tailored wellness plans and communication strat- egies aimed at encouraging hard-to-reach demographic groups to engage with healthcare providers. This personal touch will help push health provision away from reactive to preventive measures, reducing the burden to society caused by rising healthcare costs while also improving patient out- comes — a win-win scenario.”
Marr sees technology challenges too, however, noting that the explosion of health data and records, including that col- lected by medical wearables, poses cybersecurity risks that need to be addressed, while the healthcare industry lacks enough IT-skilled professionals in its ranks. “In 2025, we’ll see the healthcare industry and health service providers attempting to tackle this by investing in training, reskilling, and partnering with the tech industry.”
A New Voice at HHS
President-elect Trump recently announced the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he will oversee significant aspects of the nation’s public-health policy.
Many of his stances — vaccine skepticism, opposition to water fluo-
Health
Continued on page 34
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