Healthcare, as a business, is stronger than ever. In a world where private care guarantees you get the best, the realm of public and relatively accessible healthcare is also reaching the point of financial success.
That comes as no surprise, but to a budding healthcare entrepreneur or a newly qualified medical professional with no plan for their career, knowing where to keep a lookout is essential. After all, funding and focus funneled towards healthcare matters (and the various fields within the sector) is never quite going to ebb away.
However, we’re seeing now that some disciplines are needed more than others. This is made very clear by the rising trends we’re seeing right now, most of which we only expect to carry on throughout 2024. Times may change, but the need to see a doctor never will! Let’s go through the top 8 down below.
Telemedicine
Ease of use has been a focus for both the professionals and patients alike since 2020. This trend has never quite slipped away from us. Being able to access medical care no matter when or where you are is incredibly important in a modern society.
If you run a medical practice of your own, strengthening your patient roster’s access to telemedicine appointments and prescription issuing should be your priority for at least the next six months.
Of course, finding the funding for telemedicine screens, virtual appointments, and a robust system for patients to rely on can be hard. Only a few companies across the world offer a full telemedicine package, and it can be very expensive to develop one in-house when you have little capital to your company’s name.
Prevention Methods
In healthcare, prevention methods cover a lot of different things. If a patient can take a proactive approach to their health, they’re going to need your services a lot less – in theory.
Indeed, many people want to know what they could develop later on in life. Diseases such as cancer and various genetic conditions are top of the list; if you carry genes that predispose you to such issues, knowing now could save your life later on.
This is a form of preventative medicine that can be invasive, and the law surrounding testing in this manner is still developing itself. But focusing on a patient’s desire to know what could be dangerous to them in 10 to 15 years’ time will make you a much more popular practice.
Healthy Living
Healthy living puts the onus on the patient; being responsible for your own care puts the power back into your hands. However, support from a medical practice is going to empower patients even further. This is coming to be known as ‘self care’ or even ‘self directed care’.
In the realm of self directed care, more and more people are searching for a detox center near me and other similar rehabilitation facilities. While it’s clear a struggle with addiction is as much at the forefront of society as ever, the issue is starting to be addressed with the seriousness and support it deserves. Giving people the tools they really need takes pressure off of other medical services, and serves the purpose of keeping local communities healthy and happy.
Keep an eye out for similar trends that fit into this category. Holistic care and mindfulness, as well as fitness tech that allows someone to focus on more than just weight, are all seeing a boom right now.
AI
AI is having a general boom across all sectors right now. Some news is positive, some negative – people have a lot of opinions when AI is deployed within a field! This tends to depend on its application, but the point remains that AI can be very helpful in certain contexts.
In healthcare, the use of generative AI is taking the lead. Different from ‘traditional’ AI in the number of adaptations it can be used for, ‘gen AI’ can handle certain reception and administrative tasks within a healthcare practice.
For example, filling in an online form can be aided by the use of AI. This could free up labor elsewhere in a medical office; the more time an employee has for a face to face, targeted appointment, the more personal a patient’s care can become.
Mental Health
It’s often said that the body is easier to fix than the mind. In 2024, this fact may prove to be more true than ever. Mental health services are described as being under strain right now, and understanding your own role in providing wellness services could help to alleviate the problem. When the demand is strong, the supply should change to keep up.
Offering mental health programs that are covered by typical health insurance policies is a great way for a new organization to fit into the field. Seeing as there are thousands of waiting on therapy appointments per day, for someone with a degree in psychiatry and psychology, it’s worth it to add your voice to the call.
These programs should be just as diverse as the people needing to use them. That means developing mental health wellness strategies in relation to telemedicine to ensure help is always accessible. This digital divide needs to be bridged in 2024 and beyond, as it’s the best way to provide constructive tools to the population at large.
Cosmetic Surgery
While not a traditional field of healthcare, the uptake in cosmetic surgeries, consultations, and even restorative work has been sharp in recent years. In 2022, this sector was worth $45.45 billion, with that number tracked on a steady incline ever since the news dropped.
With the intersection of self directed care and a global mental health crisis, we could soon see surgeries typical of this sector falling into insurance categories and being available from thousands of new medical practices.
Care for Older Generations
Care for the elderly has seen a slip in the past 5 or so years. For a brand new medical business, focusing on the older generations has often been found very rewarding.
This is especially true in the tech sector, which is showing signs of leading the march here. There are more options for the older generation to rely on than ever, with even popular items like a Fitbit helping them to stay on top of their health. Indeed, blood pressure monitoring may soon be available through a further developed version of this product.
Workplace Wellness
The workplace has become notoriously stressful in recent years. With the rising cost of living, the ever stretched job market, and the evolving idea of ‘quiet quitting’. All of these factors have an effect on how someone does their job, and what a company can do to be competitive in a market where the employee values their time more than ever.
In this manner, if a medical practice makes themself readily available for a workplace benefit’s package, they put themself in pole position. A better name and reputation are ripe for the taking here, as is a bottom line with greater longevity. Long term, reliable clients are better for your profits than anything else.
A booming healthcare trend could be a great career opportunity. Providing new and improved treatments, programs, and incentives in the areas above won’t only be popular, but could make you a fine profit as well.
Keep these fields of medicine and medical tech in mind as 2024 progresses. An early investment could be key, but even late entries have something revolutionary to offer their patients.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
