As the U.S. population gets sicker and hospital finances get bleaker, 2023 is shaping up to be an eventful year for healthcare, MedCity News reports.
Cconsumer research firm Forrester released a report predicting major trends that would shape healthcare next year. Healthcare stakeholders should prepare for key changes, such as care becoming even more inaccessible for rural patients and additional retail entrants into the clinic space.
Many hospitals will never be able to recover from their pandemic financial losses, according to Natalie Schibell, a vice president and research director at Forrester. She predicted that this reality will cause a big spike in hospital bankruptcies.
Hospital and health system expenses are expected to increase by nearly $135 billion in 2023, according to Forrester. On top of that, hospitals are facing a bevy of financial stressors, including the increasing cost of labor, the staffing crisis, supply chain woes and inflation. Many hospitals have been able to keep their doors open thanks to federal provisions and other government aid — but as that assistance runs out, some will be forced to shut down.
In fact, Forrester’s 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. Read more.
