After facing the ferocity of a pandemic, an explosion of digital technologies, and the rise of more informed and empowered consumers, it’s safe to say the health industry is evolving. But what exactly does the modern health industry entail and what will it look like moving forward?
We’ve scoured the internet and compiled a list of four health trends that are expected in 2022. Read on to discover what they are (and how your health practice can adopt them).
Health trends for business in 2022
The digitisation of health experiences is here to stay
Digital health experiences emerged during the beginning of the pandemic, and predictions show that this virtual service won’t be going anywhere. In fact, it’s possible to see new digital services and platforms come out of the woodwork as health practices realise the extensive benefits of this space, particularly in the areas of mental health, recovery, and follow-up care for patients recovering from operations and major illness.
If momentum continues, patients could be filling in less paperwork, digitally checking what services they’ve had and are going to have, and taking greater control of their health journey. Information should also be more seamlessly transferred from primary to secondary care settings, making life easier for admins and creating less back and forth for the patient.¹
With all this being said, digital health services aren’t designed to replace face-to-face services but, instead, be more of a supplement. There’ll always be patients who prefer in-person consults, so as a healthcare provider you’ll need to work on striking a suitable balance between physical and virtual settings.
Keeping things personal
The next health trend for businesses to look out for this year is personalisation. As people took a step back during the pandemic to assess their own health, they inevitably desired a way to participate in bettering their own physical and mental wellbeing.
Wellness, exercise, and nutrition applications have become popular as people take a better hold of their health. The data patients input into these applications are able to be passed on to health practitioners, creating a more detailed look into their health history so they can figure out what type of personalised care they need. This is particularly handy for individuals with pre-existing health conditions who need to track their blood sugar, blood pressure, and heart rate daily.
Taking Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) seriously
Another one of the expected health trends for businesses in 2022 is an increased focus on ESG practices, as community, employee, and investor expectations around sustainability grow.¹ As a health practice, you’ll need to show that you take ESG practices seriously for patients to choose you over competitors. Responding to big issues, like climate change, shouldn’t be an add-on initiative; it should be well thought out and integrated into a transparent, comprehensive process, designed to make a real positive impact.²
Paying greater attention to people and culture
The pandemic was undeniably a catalyst for self-reflection and considering what’s really important, especially when it comes to where and how we spend our time. Healthcare professionals will increasingly be after a culture where they feel appreciated and that they’re making a meaningful contribution to their community. They’ll also expect more from their employers, such as flexible working arrangements, to maintain a better work-life balance.¹
As a health practice, fostering a strong culture is going to be essential to keeping employees around for the long run. You’ll also need to adopt wellbeing initiatives that provide the necessary support for your people, and their loved ones, so they can be their best at work.¹
Something to remember about culture is that it extends beyond your team; it also rubs off on patients who walk through your doors. So make sure to take the time to think about your business’ vision, mission and values, and how you can better integrate them into your operations, to foster a strong culture that everyone wants to be a part of.
How Tyro Health can help your health practice
All of these health trends for businesses will be a lot easier to accommodate if you’ve got a solid EFTPOS system that speeds up admin tasks; that way, you can spend less time processing payments and claims, and more time investing in the areas mentioned.
Tyro Health can help your health practice in the following ways:
- seamlessly integrating Tyro EFTPOS with industry-leading Practice Management Software systems to enable fast transactions, easy reconciliation, and reduced keying errors
- enabling you to quickly and easily make Medicare and Private Health Fund claims through Tyro EFTPOS3
- giving you the means to conduct digital health claiming through Tyro Health Online
- supporting your offering of telehealth consultations by processing both MBS bulk-billed telehealth claims and gap fee payments, with Tyro EFTPOS and Tyro Health Online
Wrap up
Staying on top of trends is key to business success, and there’s no exception for health practices. Adopting these health trends for businesses is a great way to meet the demands of the modern health industry and stay on top in 2022 and beyond.
1 Medibank. (2022). Healthcare trends and innovations 2022 and beyond. https://www.medibank.com.au/livebetter/newsroom/post/healthcare-trends-and-innovations-2022-and-beyond
2 Deloitte. (2021). 2022 Global Health Care Outlook. Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/life-sciences-and-healthcare/articles/global-health-care-sector-outlook.html
3 Medicare Easyclaim and HealthPoint are only available where the POS/PMS supports the integration. HealthPoint is also available via the Tyro and Medipass integration (on the Tyro CounterTop EFTPOS machine).