The Medical Group Management Association’s most recent
MGMA Stat poll asked healthcare leaders what excites them about healthcare in 2019. the three most cited responses were better patient care, opportunities and technology. This poll was conducted on Jan. 29, 2019, with 364 applicable responses.
The most frequent responses, including respondent quotes:
- Better patient care
- “Improving the quality of patients’ lives”
- “Treating patients equally with no stigma”
- “Emphasis on wellness, instead of just taking care of the sick”
- Opportunity
- “Those groups that are able to adapt quickly to the changing complexity will continue to be successful.”
- “Where there is change there is opportunity. I am excited about the opportunity as healthcare is always changing!”
- Technology
- “Digital health opportunities to keep patients and their healthcare teams more connected. Remote patient monitoring and chronic care management billable codes. Technology making real differences in healthcare.”
- Change
- “Change management and creating a culture of change. It is the constant and our organizations need to be able to adapt.”
- Telehealth
- “New options to see the doctor; for instance, telehealth. You don't have to sit in a waiting room with other sick people or have to leave your home.”
- Innovation
- “Healthcare technology advancements and innovations!”
- Value-based healthcare
- “Implementing new quality measures and increased coordination of patient care.”
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- “The possibility that artificial intelligence and automation can help give access to patients at a lower cost on a scale never before seen.”
- Collaboration
- “I'm excited that we can potentially FINALLY start using connected healthcare as it is supposed to be used.”
- Virtual care
- “Physician payment recognition for telephone, video or email encounters by multiple payers, finally.”
Next, we asked several MGMA staff members what they were excited for in 2019:
“Change and opportunity. We know things are going to change, yet we don’t know what or how. We’ll continue the quest for more efficiency and effectiveness in our practices. We’ll continue to work to full alignment of mission, vision and values within our organizations. And we’ll focus on what was once considered ‘soft’ — our practice culture.”
— Kenneth T. Hertz, FACMPE, principal, MGMA Consulting
“The continued push to reduce the documentation burden for physicians in 2019 and for medical practices to continue to succeed by finding new ways to work smarter and not just harder, through technology and other means. This will help reduce the level of burnout that some are experiencing and will assist them in achieving a comfortable equilibrium in their lives.”
— Andrew Hajde, senior industry advisor, MGMA
“The growing collaboration with organizations outside the industry, such as tech, and the advancements and innovations that will be created through working closely together.”
— Hollon Kohtz, assistant director, public relations, MGMA
“We are expecting several new government initiatives aimed at decreasing administrative challenges facing groups, including the release of a new standard automating the transmission of clinical data to health plans, improving EHR usability and revising the current approach to health information exchange. In the private sector side, 2019 will see renewed efforts to streamline prior authorization processes and leverage clinical decision support and other forms of AI in EHRs to improve information flow for clinicians at the point of care.”
— Robert Tennant, director, health information technology policy, MGMA Government Affairs
“Healthcare leveraging data through AI to better understand how people view their health to create personal content that influences their health decisions and actions, helping them achieve meaningful and measurable results.”
— Cristy Good, MPH, MBA, CPC, CMPE, senior industry advisor, MGMA
“Being in organizational membership, I see lots of mergers and acquisitions happening every week and it changes monthly. Watching all the growth and seeing everyone work toward the same goal of bettering healthcare in 2019 and being able to find ways to help each company is exciting.”
— James Lundy, account representative, organizational membership, MGMA
“How technology continues advancing the healthcare industry. Also, experiencing how data and population health aid in improving preventative care and overall well-being of patients.”
— Miranda Bender, senior manager, business intelligence, MGMA
“To learn more about artificial intelligence applications. As more healthcare organizations begin to implement this technology, we should see some interesting case studies that will help guide future developments.”
— Allison Bates, MA, senior editor, MGMA
Finally, here is a list of exciting, new MGMA content for 2019:
- Industry Insights podcasts — Every two weeks we will dive deep into a topic and speak with healthcare thought leaders to bring you insights into the challenges and trends affecting the industry.
- MGMA Connection magazine — A new quarterly format will include content from a broader range of healthcare topics, including business strategy, quality and patient experience, operations management and more.
- MGMA Government Affairs — 2019 promises to be another busy year for healthcare policy; keep up with changes in Medical practice issues to watch in 2019.
MGMA
Stat is a national poll that addresses practice management issues, the impact of new legislation and related topics. Participation is open to all healthcare leaders. See results of other polls and information on how to participate in
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