The critical role of primary care providers in health care may be constant, but the way patients receive care is constantly changing.
In the 60s, nearly half of all appointments occurred in the home. As access to reliable transportation and facilities emerged, the care setting moved. Now, the rise of telehealth and consumer preference is once again calling for a change.
Retail giants like Amazon, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart are quickly staking their claim in the industry. The American Hospital Association released a report citing a Bain & Company analysis that predicted disruptors could own as much as 30% of the $260 billion primary care market by 2030.
Some of the key consumer benefits offered by disruptors include:
- Transparent/fixed pricing
- On-demand access via telehealth
- A robust retail footprint improving access to care
"None of this should be overshadowed by the power of a personal relationship with a local primary care provider who understands a patient's family history, preferences and background. In fact, during the pandemic when the use of telehealth soared, research showed that individuals greatly preferred if the telehealth visit was with their local physician vs. with one from a national telehealth company. We can provide the best of both worlds by meeting patients where they are in terms of access and communication," said Lee Handke, PharmD, MBA, chief executive officer of the Nebraska Health Network.
The American Hospital Association is urging systems to act and find ways to collaborate to ensure the best patient care experience. To compete with disruptors, the AHA recommends answering the following questions:
- Do we have an omnichannel presence that provides the convenience, access, transparency, pricing and other information and services that patients want?
- Are there partnership opportunities with any of the big companies transforming primary care?
- How can we leverage our strength in established trust and rapport with existing patients to use our outpatient, clinic and virtual services for routine and nonemergent care?
- How can we partner with Big Tech firms [such as Apple and Google parent company Alphabet] around research, data sharing, etc., to improve care?
Learn more:
- Becker's Hospital Review: Hospitals must partner with retail disruptors like Amazon and CVS, AHA says
- MedCity News: Which moves should providers watch from Amazon, CVS and Walgreens this year?
