The Impact of Healthcare’s Evolution on Outpatient Specialty Practices 

Insight provided by Midmark experts in the fields of dermatology and podiatry  

11/13/18

Outpatient specialties, albeit vastly different from the traditional primary care practices pivoting to ensure success in today’s healthcare environment, are also facing a number of factors driving the evolution of the industry:

• Value-based care: Specialists are under greater pressure to juggle regulations and cost-saving measures without sacrificing outcomes or a quality care experience.

• Industry consolidation: Practices are either partnering with others or are acquired by larger delivery networks. With consolidation comes increased pressure for continued growth and cost cutting without diminishing the customer experience.

• Changing patient demographics: An older population is leading to more treatments and procedures related to conditions associated with aging, as well as more focus on accessibility and how care is delivered.

• Shortage of specialists: The growth rate of specialists is not aligned with patient demand, forcing many practices to learn to do more with fewer providers. This extends wait times for appointments, which could negatively impact patient satisfaction and care provided.

As these forces continue to impact the industry, now is the time for outpatient specialists to rethink the point of care to meet the challenges presented by these significant changes.

A patient-centered approach makes this possible. By designing the space around the patient, providers can significantly enhance efficiency, effectiveness, safety, comfort and quality of care. If setup correctly, patient-centered design can also integrate technology with the examination, consultation and treatment (see Figure 1).

Plus, adopting a patient-centered approach early in the design process places equal emphasis on the patient experience and increased efficiency to be able to meet today’s industry challenges.

As specialties in ambulatory care look to the future, there is much to consider, but one thing is for certain – change is inevitable. Specialty practices must continue to be flexible to adapt to the integration of new technologies, patient demographics and protocols.

FIGURE 1: Combining consultation, counseling and procedures into one space increases efficiencies and enhances the caregiver-patient relationship

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For more information on the point of care ecosystem, visit Midmark’s resource library.