Trends That Will Shape Healthcare in 2023: Hospital Closures, Scaling Retail Clinics & More

A latest report released by the consumer research firm Forrester predicts major trends that would shape healthcare in 2023 in the US. 

The report recommends healthcare stakeholders should prepare for key changes, such as more hospital closures and bankruptcies and more health clinics entering the retail space. 

Here’s a look at some of the trends predicted in the report:

1. Increased hospital closures and bankruptcies

As per the report, hospital and health system expenses are expected to increase by nearly $135 billion in 2023. To this add the increasing cost of labor, the staffing crisis, supply chain woes and inflation and the coming year might see more hospitals forced to shut down or go bankrupt.

The research showed that ‘more than 30% of all rural hospitals are at immediate risk of shutting down because of low financial reserves, as well as reliance on government aid.’

2. Scaling retail health clinics

The report also predicts the growth of retail health clinics - the likes of Amazon, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS are expected to double their share of the primary care market with more companies joining their ranks. 

More and more Americans are predicted to go to retail health clinics for primary care as hospitals fail to meet patient expectations. 

3. Growth of RPM tools for chronic conditions

More than a quarter of the US's adult population with chronic conditions is expected to be treated with RPM tools in the coming year. These tools can help providers prevent avoidable hospitalizations and the worsening of chronic disease, especially after the pandemic, as per the report.