With the new year – and a new decade – just around the corner, it’s time to start taking a look at predictions for what types of industry trends are on the horizon. Wellsource CEO Chris McReynolds wrote about which four trends he thinks will have the biggest impact in 2020 and beyond.
1. Personalization
Consumers today are used to custom experience whether they’re online shopping and being fed ads for the exact products they need or they’re curating their social media feeds to show only content they enjoy. No matter where they go, people don’t have to spend much time sifting through noise to get to what they really want. McReynolds predicts that in 2020 that same desire – and response – for personalization will enter the population health realm. Specifically, he says, “Company leaders in 2020 will begin to realize that their employees expect to be individually catered to, not just be spoon fed a generic approach that leaves them feeling like their specific needs are not understood or being considered.”
2. Workplace Culture and Population Health Will Merge
When it comes to encouraging a healthy workplace culture and environment, you can’t expect to simply roll out a plan and have it work, says McReynolds. In 2020 we can expect leadership from CEOs on down to actively participate in wellness initiatives right alongside their teams. “There is plenty of evidence that shows implementing workplace changes in health policies and efforts works, but only if it’s comprehensive at all levels of the organization. By participating as a leader, executives help to build trust, which will lead to increased willingness to participate in the wellness programs that are being offered.” These initiatives will not only include healthy activities, snacking, and wellness checks but also speaking openly and frankly about mental health in an effort to break the stigma.
3. Data Will Shape Wellness Program Design
Presently, the healthcare industry is great at collecting data, but the way the data is used could be improved. All too often data is currently compiled and “glanced at as a row of numbers,” according to McReynolds. However, in 2020 we can expect to see data helping to reduce healthcare spending by using it to “make informed, thoughtful decisions.”
4. Collaboration in Cybersecurity and Health Record Protection
Privacy surrounding health information has been a large topic of discussion for years and that will continue into the next decade. McReynolds is predicting that 2020 will be the year that healthcare executives and IT professionals come together across industries to “innovate security options in a collaborative way.” He adds that “as companies adapt to the changes brought about by GDPR, the California Consumer Privacy Act, etc., we will continue to build safeguards into our products that help companies stay compliant.”
For all of the innovation and positive changes that 2020 could bring, there are also some things that are likely to remain constant. The industry, for example, will always maintain the goal of driving healthy choices and getting individuals to think of their health with a long-term mindset rather than dealing with ailments and illnesses cropping up on a case-by-case basis.
To learn more about helping your population make healthy changes, click the button below to download Change Readiness: The Critical Component to Wellness Engagement.
