Healthcare Strategies

2025 promises to be an interesting year in healthcare with many possibilities, challenges and unknowns. A few of our editorial staff members got together to discuss the trends we will be watching in the new year, from telehealth flexibilities to artificial intelligence guardrails, and from employers' cost-cutting efforts to the future of reproductive health. Featuring: Shania Kennedy, assistant editor of Healthtech Analytics at Xtelligent Veronica Salib, associate editor of Pharma Life Sciences at Xtelligent Healthcare Anuja Vaidya, senior editor of Virtual Healthcare and special events lead at Xtelligent Healthcare Kelsey Waddill, multimedia manager and managing editor of Healthcare Payers at Xtelligent Healthcare In today’s episode, we’ll cover… The focal points of GLP-1 research in the coming year GLP-1 coverage expectations AI trends in 2025 Telehealth market shifts Reproductive healthcare evolution since the overturn of Roe v. Wade ...and more! To learn more about 2025 healthcare industry predictions, check out our Xtelligent sites: Healthtech Analytics, Healthcare Payers, Pharma Life Sciences, and Virtual Healthcare.To watch video clips from our podcast, subscribe to our YouTube channel, @HealthcareStrategies.   Thank you to Dr. Sanjula Jain, Melissa Knuth, and Dr. Stephanie Page who spoke with us earlier in the season and whose insights we included in this episode. References GLP-1 general impact overview https://www.techtarget.com/pharmalifesciences/feature/Anticipating-the-healthcare-reach-of-GLP-1-receptor-agonists   CDC unintended pregnancy data https://www.cdc.gov/reproductive-health/hcp/unintended-pregnancy/index.html#:~:text=Overview,2010%20to%2041.6%25%20in%202019   Vasectomy data from the University of Florida Health https://ufhealth.org/stories/2022/what-to-know-before-getting-a-vasectomy   Planned Parenthood data on vasectomy reversals https://www.plannedparenthood.org/blog/are-vasectomies-reversible#   HR managers see value in GLP-1 coverage https://ir.accolade.com/news-releases/news-release-details/glp-1-coverage-employer-plans-could-nearly-double-2024   Employer coverage rates of GLP-1s for weight loss https://www.ifebp.org/resources---news/survey-reports/glp-1-drugs--2024-pulse-survey-report-(u.s.-corporate-data)   Exploring generative AI in healthcare https://www.techtarget.com/healthtechanalytics/feature/Exploring-generative-artificial-intelligence-in-healthcare   Introducing the role of Chief Analytics Officer https://www.techtarget.com/healthtechanalytics/answer/Exploring-the-Role-of-Cleveland-Clinics-First-Chief-Analytics-Officer   Telehealth volumes data from Trilliant Health https://www.techtarget.com/virtualhealthcare/answer/Examining-the-limitations-of-the-current-telehealth-market   Leveraging RPM at home for cancer care https://www.techtarget.com/virtualhealthcare/feature/Leveraging-RPM-to-Enable-At-Home-Care-for-High-Risk-Cancer-Patients   Vendor uses wearables to assess impact of GLP-1s on Parkinson's disease https://www.statnews.com/2024/12/10/glp-1-parkinsons-health-tech-startup-koneksa-digital-measures/     

As the reproductive health landscape continues to evolve, access to contraception and prescriptions for contraception are increasingly critical tools for preventing unplanned pregnancies. In some states, pharmacists at retail pharmacies can play a critical role in contraceptive access by providing counseling and prescriptions for some birth control methods. Featuring: Dr. Mollie Scott, a pharmacist, the regional associate dean of the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and Chair of the Department of Pharmacotherapy at Mountain Area Health Education Center. In today’s episode, we’ll cover The role pharmacists play in prescribing and medication management Policies and regulations for pharmacists’ prescribing The benefits and drawbacks of pharmacists prescribing contraception Advocacy tips for pharmacists hoping to change contraception prescribing laws in their state And more! To watch video clips from our podcast, subscribe to our YouTube channel, @HealthcareStrategies.   Note: The Healthcare Strategies team will be on break for 12/30/24, but make sure to tune in for our first episode of the new year (publishing 1/6/25) where we cover major trends for 2025!   Resources: Clinical Pharmacists Are a Major Contributor to Quality Patient Care https://www.techtarget.com/pharmalifesciences/feature/Clinical-Pharmacists-Are-a-Major-Contributor-to-Quality-Patient-Care   Understanding the widespread impacts of pharmacy deserts https://www.techtarget.com/pharmalifesciences/answer/Understanding-the-widespread-impacts-of-pharmacy-deserts   Limited Access to Female Contraceptives: A Public Health Crisis https://www.techtarget.com/pharmalifesciences/feature/Limited-Access-to-Female-Contraceptives-A-Public-Health-Crisis   Assessing the Expected Impacts of OTC Hormonal Birth Control Pills https://www.techtarget.com/pharmalifesciences/feature/Assessing-the-Expected-Impacts-of-OTC-Hormonal-Birth-Control-Pills 

The future of telehealth policy remains uncertain, with pandemic-era regulatory flexibilities set to expire by the end of the year, barring Congressional action. What is holding Congress back from extending or solidifying these flexibilities, and will those concerns influence telehealth legislation in 2025? Featuring: Darryl Roberts, Vice President of Health Informatics at RELI Group In today's episode, we'll cover… The impact of telehealth flexibilities on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes   Possible reasons why Congress has yet to act despite bipartisan support for telehealth access Key pieces of legislation to watch for in 2025 References: Spending Bill to Extend Telehealth, Hospital-at-Home Waivers for 2 Years (https://www.techtarget.com/virtualhealthcare/news/366596488/Spending-Bill-to-Extend-Telehealth-Hospital-at-Home-Waivers-for-2-Years)   HHS: How the End of the PHE Will Impact Telehealth Flexibilities (https://www.techtarget.com/virtualhealthcare/news/366596867/HHS-How-the-End-of-the-PHE-Will-Impact-Telehealth-Flexibilities)   What the NJ Lawsuit Adds to Out-of-State Telehealth, Licensure Debates (https://www.techtarget.com/virtualhealthcare/answer/What-the-NJ-Lawsuit-Adds-to-Out-of-State-Telehealth-Licensure-Debates)   What the House subcommittee hearing tells us about telehealth’s future (https://www.techtarget.com/virtualhealthcare/feature/What-the-House-subcommittee-hearing-tells-us-about-telehealths-future) To learn more about telehealth policy, check out our site, Xtelligent Virtual Healthcare. To watch video clips from our podcast, subscribe to our YouTube channel, @HealthcareStrategies.

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) medications are revolutionizing weight loss and diabetes care, but behind the hype lies a growing web of regulatory gaps, telehealth expansion and online pharmacy risks. This episode unpacks the opportunities -- and dangers -- shaping the future of these life-changing drugs.   Featuring: Scott Roth, Chief Executive Officer, LegitScript Gerard Olsen, Director of Research, LegitScript   In today’s episode, we'll cover… The skyrocketing demand for GLP-1 medications and their influence on weight loss trends, including a 26% drop in bariatric surgeries How telehealth and online pharmacies are reshaping access to GLP-1 drugs -- and the risks posed by rogue sellers and counterfeit products The critical need for stronger regulatory enforcement and LegitScript's role in ensuring safety and transparency in the online healthcare market   To learn more about GLP-1 medications from all angles, check out our Pharma Life Sciences, Patient Engagement and Healthcare Payers sites.   To watch video clips from the conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel, @HealthcareStrategies.   References: Metabolic bariatric surgery in the GLP-1 era (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2825349)   Risks of online semaglutide without prescription (https://www.techtarget.com/pharmalifesciences/news/366609735/Study-uncovers-risks-of-buying-semaglutide-online)   FDA updates on GLP-1 compounding policies (https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-clarifies-policies-compounders-national-glp-1-supply-begins-stabilize)  

Staffing shortages and rising operational costs are daunting challenges for community health centers, which are vital for serving underserved populations. How can the right technology investments help community health centers overcome these obstacles? Featuring: Abby Sears, president and CEO of OCHIN Jeff Lowrance, CEO of OSIS In today’s episode, we’ll cover… The top operational challenges community health centers face How health IT innovation can transform healthcare delivery in underserved communities The value of collaboration for tackling workforce shortages and more! To learn more about health IT, check out Health IT and EHR site. To watch video clips from our podcast, subscribe to our YouTube channel, @HealthcareStrategies. References: Finances stymie patient data sharing, interoperability at FQHCs (https://www.techtarget.com/searchhealthit/news/366578868/Finances-Stymie-Patient-Data-Sharing-Interoperability-at-FQHCs)   Community health center access up by 1 million patients (https://www.techtarget.com/patientengagement/news/366599934/Community-health-center-access-up-by-1-million-patients)   Community Health Centers’ Progress and Challenges in Meeting Patients’ Essential Primary Care Needs (https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2024/aug/community-health-centers-meeting-primary-care-needs-2024-FQHC-survey)