The health care trends making an impact on medical practices in 2023

A report from AdvancedMD, a health care software developer, has identified the top six health care trends that will have the biggest effect on physicians and medical practices this year.

The trends are based on aggregated data from more than 40,000 practitioners across 13,000 practices.

“From the way patient records are maintained and shared to integrative healthcare offerings, patient engagement tactics, and billing processes, health care providers are becoming more effective and more efficient across the board,” said Amanda Hansen, president, AdvancedMD, in a statement. “These advancements are not only driving more successful business practices for medical offices but creating significantly improved patient outcomes.”

The first trend identified in the report is that medical offices will broaden their selection of patient-centric payment capabilities. Younger patients have higher expectations for easier billing and payment information, so offices will respond with better options that cater to patients who want better digital options.

Another trend identifies is that mental health will become more integrated into overall health care. The report states that physicians and health care providers will focus on building more integrative practices that include behavioral and mental health offerings, creating a more holistic experience.

Independent practices have been on the decline in recent years, but the report predicts a resurgence with physicians choosing to take full ownership over offerings and administrative processes. This will be made possible by technology that streamlines workflows and enables more efficient billing and patient engagement.

Financial performance is expected to improve as practice owners invest more in workflow and process automation improvements that boost decision-making capabilities based on data.For example, the report notes that by automating telehealth workflows, the practice's primary schedule is updated to reflect accurate online schedules for patients, appointment reminders are automatically triggered with full appointment access details, and payments can be easily collected.

In addition, automation boosts data accuracy, and it’s predicted that the industry will see a noticeable lift in physicians and practice owners automating daily patient information workflow processes.

Remote patient monitoring is also expected to grow in popularity. The report predicts that it will become commonplace and improve outcomes for those with chronic illnesses, including diabetes, heart conditions, and hypertension. When the data is fed directly into the EHR, it will bolster physician productivity and quality of care.

Another trend identified by the report is the ability of practices offering comprehensive self-service capabilities that give patients more control over their experience. Physicians are expected to offer digital patient portals that allow patients to complete intake and accurate health histories, access health records, pay bills, schedule appointments, and receive telehealth services. These platforms are expected to integrate the patient experience with ambulatory care providers, in-patient hospital services, and other medical providers so that all information is in a single patient portal.