2010 Healthcare Predictions: PricewaterhouseCoopers

PricewaterhouseCoopers publishes an annual study that looks at issues it expects to affect the health care industry. Here's what was predicted for 2009 and what is predicted for 2010:

2009 predictions
-The economic downturn will require a back-to-basics approach for health organizations.
-Underinsured will surpass uninsured as providers' headaches.
-Big pharma will turn to mergers and acquisitions to build the drug pipeline.
-From vaccines to prevention, prevention will be on the rise.
-Genetic testing will reach a price point for the masses.
-Technology will be a powerful health extender.
-Hospitals will be forced to improve performance to get paid.
-Payers and employers will move the needle on health living through incentives.
-The transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 will begin.

2010 predictions
-Intense industrywide efforts to reduce health care costs will take hold.
-If Congress passes health system reform, major adjustments will be made to the entire industry.
-Physicians and hospitals will scramble to adopt health information technology.
-A greater emphasis will be placed on Medicare fraud and abuse recovery.
-The technology and telecommunications sectors will become leading players in health care.
-Big pharma's role will grow.
-Physician groups will join health systems.
-Alternative care delivery models will emerge.
-H1N1 will elevate emphasis on readiness of the public health system for outbreaks.
-Community health will be a new social responsibility.

Read the full article at PricewaterhouseCoopers, or click here:

http://pwchealth.com/cgi-local/hregister.cgi?link=reg/top-ten-health-industry-issues-in-2010.pdf