Expected Trends in 2019

When it comes to the Affordable Care Act, value-based care, public health issues, and physician burnout, here’s what you need to know.

Affordable Care Act

• Higher insurance premiums

• Cuts to state Medicaid funding

Value-Based Care

• Continued movement away from fee-for-service to value-based payment models

• Consolidation through mergers and acquisitions

Public Health Issues

• Bigger focus on the opioid epidemic

• Initiative to address social determinants of health

Physician Burnout

• Incorporation of procedures to delegate non-clinical tasks

• Increased use of scribes and virtual transcriptionists

Cybersecurity

Here are some fast facts that you need to know to protect your critical information and data.

• Ransomware —an IT attack that locks out users from the computer until a ransom is paid — is a growing concern for medical practices.

• Healthcare is the most targeted industry for ransomware attacks.

• Small to medium sized practices are at the highest risk for attacks because they are less likely to have appropriate controls in place to prevent a security breach.

HIPAA Compliance

We’ve seen an upward trend of data breaches in the healthcare industry. Stay secure with these four preventative measures.

• Conduct the mandated yearly risk assessment by CMS. Use results to identify areas for improvement.

• Add anti-phishing protection to your web-browser toolbars and email.

• Remain cautious about responding to emails asking you to verify personal information by clicking on a link or replying to an email.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of telecommunications technology.

• Telemedicine is expected to be a $66 billion industry by 2021.

• Medicare is easing restrictions on coverage for virtual visits.

• Virtual visits can be provided by any licensed healthcare professional acting within the scope of his or her certification.

For more information on Sansiveri’s Healthcare Speciality Group and how we can help you optimize your strategic, financial, and operational performance, please contact Susan B. Windle at 401-752-0561.

Susan has over 30 years of experience, and is a member of our Healthcare Specialty Group. Working closely with clients, she is committed to helping healthcare organization navigate the complex and constantly evolving market.