Health care is an ever-growing industry and a dynamic field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that health care occupations will add roughly 1.9 million jobs from 2023 to 2033 — much faster than the average employment growth of all occupations. Many variables are in play, such as new technology and technology threats, workforce issues, changing patient expectations and the switch to digital recordkeeping. Additionally, political concerns and policy surrounding health care and insurance change at a rapid pace, making life and health a constant challenge for the public.
Issues like these are critical areas of focus in advanced health care management education programs. Educational options like the online Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Management program from the Florida Institute of Technology prepare students to tackle these challenges in leadership roles. Here are six trends that health care management students and top professionals in the field need to be aware of today and in the future, many of which overlap in dynamic ways:
1. Ransomware and Information Security Concerns
There’s little doubt that technology is improving the management and practice of health care. However, reliance on technology can expose health care providers to an increased risk of cyberattacks, including data breaches and different kinds of malware. One particularly nefarious application of malware is ransomware in health care, which allows malicious parties to encrypt an organization’s data and demand payment to unencrypt it.
Ransomware has impacted many health care organizations in recent years. In fact, more than 640 ransomware incidents targeted health care organizations worldwide in 2023, according to a 2024 U.S. Government report. Ransomware attacks threaten patient care, information security and privacy, payroll, emergency services and more, while costing health care organizations millions of dollars.
Experts say health care providers are frequent targets because ransomware is relatively easy to deploy. Considering the critical data involved and the high risk of disruptions in continued service, patient health and finances, health care organizations like hospitals often have little choice but to pay ransoms.
To protect against ransomware, health care organizations must play defense and offense. Information security professionals need to stay abreast of the latest threats and fortify computer networks and data. Further, health care providers need to train their employees to identify suspicious emails, websites and attachments so that they don’t inadvertently download malicious software and distribute it to the entire network.
2. Workforce Shortages in Health Care
A major challenge health care providers are already facing is finding and retaining skilled workers. This situation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, with heavy attrition and high levels of burnout in the health care workforce. These ongoing challenges tighten the health care labor pool while the aging population continues to increase the need for health care services.
The workforce shortage in health care is a chronic problem and estimates suggest it will only get worse. Experts are taking initiative to address this issue, but there’s a general consensus that more needs to be done to reach out to prospective students and demonstrate how worthwhile careers in health care practice, management and administration are. In addition, health care providers must make sure that employees’ needs and wants are being met, so as to reduce frustration, burnout and turnover.
3. New Technologies Disrupting the Field
Numerous advanced technologies are reshaping health care and increasing the potential to expand and improve services. Some of the highlights are:
- Brain-computer interfaces have the potential to improve medical treatment of advanced health issues like hearing loss, visual impairment and even physical paralysis.
- Artificial intelligence can provide diagnoses, predict patient outcomes and suggest medical treatment plans using sophisticated algorithms, with the potential to augment data-driven decision-making and provide expert opinions when a qualified professional is not available.
- Augmented, virtual and mixed reality can help medical professionals and patients visualize health issues and may play a large role in areas like practitioner training and psychiatric treatment.
- 3D printing can advance drug production, accessibility and personalized medical implants and prosthetics.
4. Connected Patients and Remote Care Accessibility
The general population now expects a higher level of electronic connectivity with their health care providers. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic drove the integration and acceptance of telemedicine services, increasing access and engagement.
Additionally, wearable smart devices are becoming more common. These devices enable remote monitoring of health issues, diagnosis and assessment, and increased patient participation and health awareness.
5. Political Issues That Impact Health Care
Directly or indirectly, political forces and decisions cause constant change in health care in the U.S. For instance, the future of health care insurance for a large portion of the population seems to be perpetually up in the air. Access to affordable care can shift dramatically according to rapidly changing policy, the current administration and even politically driven economic conditions.
Decisions about federal funding for Medicaid impact millions of U.S. citizens. Legislation to update or limit the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, will also impact millions of people. Further, immigrants can lose or gain access to care according to shifts in political leadership and impactful executive decisions.
6. Electronic Health Records
A nationwide initiative has shifted health care records away from paper. The benefits of electronic health records (EHRs) are expansive and the vast majority of medical facilities and providers now use them. The American Medical Association outlines nine steps for EHR system implementation:
- Create an EHR transition team
- Communicate with end-users and gain buy-in
- Decide on an implementation approach: Big bang or phased rollout
- Understand the current EHR state
- Consider customization needs for the new EHR
- Anticipate challenges
- Offer training and support
- Mitigate other workplace stressors
- Gather feedback and provide ongoing support
Today, using EHRs productively can pay off. Medicaid and Medicare EHR incentive programs are now providing economic incentives for health care providers that can demonstrate they are using EHRs effectively to coordinate patient care. Links to information about this meaningful use initiative can be found on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website.
Navigating Current Issues in Health Care
While advancements like EHR systems, AI-driven diagnoses and treatment and remote care are enhancing health care offerings and accessibility, they also pose challenges, such as cybersecurity issues like ransomware. Implementing EHR systems and other technologies can also be prohibitively expensive for health care organizations that are experiencing widespread financial issues.
Navigating the challenging aspects of modern health care is an important responsibility of health care administrators and managers. These professionals must drive change and advancement in quality of care while achieving the financial outcomes needed.
Students in Florida Tech’s online MBA in healthcare management explore emerging issues in health care while learning the intricacies of effective leadership practices, workforce management and financial management. Graduates of this program can qualify for in-demand leadership roles where they can make a difference in the organizations they run while improving care for the patients they serve.
Learn more about the online MBA in healthcare management from Florida Institute of Technology.
