Top Surgical Trends to Focus On

MedTech Outlook | Monday, March 15, 2021

Analytical tools can monitor these occurrences and use the information to deconstruct the surgical schedule and upsurge patient access by increasing the number of cases completed on a given day.

FREMONT, CA: Hospitals continue to face difficulties in the surgical domain, including accelerated outpatient migration, improved price transparency, and higher patient expectations, all of which can negatively impact financial results. This year, hospital administrators should focus on the following surgical trends.

Patient Expectations

Virtual treatment will become more prevalent this year, as will an emphasis on the patient-centric world. Virtual visits and telehealth have exploded due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with older Americans, in particular, embracing the application. The use of patient engagement tools and remote patient monitoring devices is also on the rise. Creating a physician-led, patient-centered organizational governing body at the hospital would go a long way toward ensuring a seamless patient experience.

Outpatient Migration

The pandemic has hastened the shift from clinics to ASCs (Ambulatory Surgery Centers) for outpatient surgery. Reduced costs, a lower-case cancellation rate, payers pushing for the use of ASCs, and CMSs (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) initiative to abolish the inpatient-only list are all contributing factors to outpatient development. Thus, hospital leadership must find ways to create a presence in the ambulatory environment as this trend progresses.

Data-Driven Operating Rooms

Every 73 days, the amount of healthcare data doubles. Leaders in surgical services now have more evidence and interactive resources than ever before. In 2021, the priority will be on finding new ways to transform data into insight.  A delay in first-case on-time starts and slow turnovers, for example, will result in high labor costs and revenue loss due to lost volume. On the other hand, on-time openings and fast turnovers allow for the inclusion of a case at a lower average labor cost. Analytical tools can monitor these occurrences and use the information to deconstruct the surgical schedule and upsurge patient access by increasing the number of cases completed on a given day.

Enhanced Price Transparency

Healthcare policy changes concerning price transparency continue to guide how patients seek care. Increased demand for price accountability is being motivated by raising out-of-pocket prices and the government's aim of reducing total healthcare spending. Thus, the prevalence of high-deductible insurance benefits is rising, rendering patients more cost-conscious. What does one do with the facility, product to ensure that they provide the best possible treatment and be successful in the surgical market?