The healthcare industry has faced tremendous change and uncertainty for decades. Each year over the last decade, the challenges, issues, and opportunities facing HCEG members have been used to create the HCEG Top 10 list – a list of challenges, issues, and opportunities. Although most healthcare executives were likely comfortable about their priorities at the start of 2020, those healthcare leader priorities were certainly and quickly turned upside down by the emerging coronavirus pandemic. The best-laid plans demanded quick review, understanding, and revision as 2020 progressed.
COVID-19 Impact to Healthcare Leader Priorities
Accordingly, HCEG and our sponsor Change Healthcare performed a ‘flash survey’ of 228 healthcare leaders through June and July of last year to assess how COVID-19 impacted the priorities identified in the 10th Annual Industry Pulse research report – a research survey based on the 2020 HCEG Top 10 list.
The results of this COVID-19 flash survey update to the 2020 Industry Pulse were released in September of 2020. Since COVID-19 prevented the HealthCare Executive Group from hosting its 2020 Annual Forum that same month of September, a formal 2021 HCEG Top 10 list was not created but rather an Interim 2021 HCEG Top 10+ list was assembled using findings from the flash survey and discussion among HCEG’s network of healthcare executives and industry leaders.
Updating Healthcare Leader Priorities as 2021 Unfolds
As 2020 ended and 2021 began, HCEG has been collecting additional information and insight into how the coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 presidential election have impacted the priorities of new and existing HCEG members and our network of partners and associates. We are also reviewing a list of 2021 healthcare predictions and trends shared by industry leaders.
Over the last few weeks, HCEG contacted the 120+ new members who joined HCEG since early December to collect feedback on their current priorities.
New HCEG Members Share Their Top Priorities
While we are still collecting additional feedback from our members and performing a comparative analysis of information collected from our members to 2021 predictions and trends shared by industry leaders, it’s clear that the pandemic has resulted in new and changed priorities for health plans, health systems, and healthcare providers. Some initial findings based on the feedback provided by new HCEG members include:
- “Consumer Experience” (#1) and “Costs & Transparency” (#2) were the most frequently noted priorities of new members.
- “Data & Analytics” (#5) was the 3rd most referenced top priority. We’re reaching out to our members to gather more specifics about this foundational priority – among other priorities that were shared.
- “Next Generation Payment Models” (#9) was the 4th most frequently noted priority.
- “COVID-19 & Pandemic Preparedness” (#11) was frequently referenced with some new members adding “Patient & Healthcare Worker Safety” as a priority.
- “Holistic Individual Health” (#7) was referenced by only two new members – both healthcare providers.
- “Reimbursement Issues,” “Addressing Underfunding of Primary Care” and “Administrative Expense” – perhaps all considered a subset of “Next Generation Payment Models” – were listed as ‘new priorities’ – mostly by members associated with health systems and healthcare providers.
RELATED: Physician Perspectives on COVID-19 Impact on the Fall Season
How has COVID-19 Impacted YOUR Priorities as a Healthcare Leader?
To help us further refine our Interim 2021 HCEG Top 10+ list, please consider sharing your priorities for 2021 via this simple, one-page survey. We’ll use your responses to create a more complete 2021 HCEG Top 10+ list and to help guide and create additional content as 2021 continues. You may also email us at [email protected].
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Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you have any questions or comments. If you are an executive of a health plan, health system, or healthcare provider organization, reach out to us at [email protected] for information on a special membership offer available through the end of January.
