Health Care Organizations Embrace 'Future of Work,' But More Action May Be Needed

by Leslie Small

When researchers from Deloitte Consulting LLP surveyed health care payer and provider executives about their strategies for the "future of work," the firm found that more than 75% of respondents indicated they have invested in future-of-work initiatives or plan to do so in the next year or two.

Jennifer Radin, a principal in Deloitte's life sciences and health care practice, says that finding was "frankly surprising to us — we thought that maybe we’d get a 45%-50% hit rate."

 So what exactly is the future of work? According to Deloitte's report, it involves "reimagining the way work gets done" to address generational changes, like millennials' increased presence in the workforce; new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI); new talent models, like increased reliance on gig or contract workers; and increasing consumer demands.

But although 75% of those surveyed are embracing the future of work, "the question is, are they doing something comprehensively?" says Jason Wainstein, a principal in Deloitte's life sciences and health care practice. "And that's probably a smaller number."

The survey results seem to indicate a gap between intention and action. While Deloitte found that 65% of respondents said their organization had created a strategic plan and vision for the future of work, much smaller percentages said their firms had taken steps such as centralizing shared services or testing nontraditional recruiting strategies.

On the plus side, though, "if we were to compare health plans and health care providers, I think health plans have been way ahead of [providers] in terms of the ability to introduce new technologies, particularly things like AI," Radin says.

From Health Plan Weekly