As we enter the new year, health system leaders and digital health companies face evolving technologies and challenges. In my role at Panda Health, I am lucky to explore digital health technologies from the inside out, including what’s trending, plateauing, and what is on the rise. Here are a few of my predictions for 2024 and the opportunities and challenges they present for hospitals and health systems:
Generative AI Adoption
Although generative AI holds immense promise, its adoption among U.S. healthcare providers will be broad but uneven. Expect to focus primarily on use cases such as documentation, patient communication, workflow automation, and revenue cycle encoding. Panda was recently invited to contribute to a panel hosted by Suki, a leader in AI development, to discuss the implications of generative AI for hospitals and health systems. Check out the recording from the webinar here.
Expansion of AI in Clinical Areas
AI’s influence will continue to expand into new clinical areas, with applications ranging from ambient AI for monitoring clinical infections to predictive analytics for patient risk assessment. Look for increased utilization in identifying patients for clinical trial recruitment and supporting patients with primary care tasks.
Advancement of Health at Home
Health-at-home initiatives will see modest progress in 2024, with more providers adopting patient monitoring programs and remote patient management (RPM). Our report from December, The Tipping Point, showed that 86% of hospital leaders feel RPM will have the most optimistic future impact. Scaling these programs, however, will remain a challenge. Health systems will focus on maintaining virtual care capabilities post-COVID, with limited investments directed toward immediate staffing and access needs.
Cybersecurity Challenges
Cybersecurity threats will continue to grow, posing challenges for provider organizations. We anticipate a significant ransomware attack targeting a household health system name, bringing cybersecurity concerns to the forefront nationally and highlighting the critical need for robust security measures. One of the ways hospitals are getting ahead of this is by adopting a leading cybersecurity solution. Our report from December revealed that although current cybersecurity adoption is at 84%, it’s expected to grow to 97% by the end of this year.
In the dynamic landscape of digital health in 2024, agility and proactive technology adoption are paramount for hospitals to innovate and deliver optimal patient care while addressing security challenges. Panda Health offers a comprehensive solution to navigate this terrain effectively. Our market intelligence process provides hospitals and health systems with essential data, real-world use cases, and tailored solutions to address their unique pain points.
To start this journey and accelerate the process of procuring new solutions, we invite hospital leaders to join our digital health platform. By signing up, you gain access to invaluable evaluation tools, insightful market intelligence, and a vibrant community where you can connect with and learn from fellow leaders in the healthcare sector.
Ready to embrace the future of healthcare? Take the first step by signing up now to unlock your institution’s full potential for digital health. Let’s shape the future of patient care together.
