High-Profile Focus: Forecast 2020

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January 2020

Three Important Trends Driving Healthcare Investments in 2020 New Funding for Specialty Practitioners

by Megan Headley Healthcare has faced its share of disruption over the last few years and that shows no signs of slowing down. Aaron Mauck, senior director of the Advisory Board Co., a healthcare strategy consultant who was until recently based in Boston, predicts that 2020 will bring more consideration around making the shifts seen in the past few years work more effectively.

Aaron Mauck will speak at the New England Hospital, Outpatient Facilities & MOB Summit in April 2020.

Mauck, who was a keynote speaker at several of the regional 2019 Hospital Outpatient Facilities & Medical Office Buildings Summits, managed by Corporate Realty, Design & Management Institute (SquareFootge.net), offers three

trends to watch in the year ahead. Strengthening Relationships Within Integrated Systems

New England, like many regions nationwide, has seen a significant amount of market consolidation in recent years. As systems learn to leverage these new economies of scale to reach customers, many are also still working to integrate cultures. “Integration is not always easy,” Mauck points out. “There are culture challenges, but also challenges around getting the true value out of the economies of scale that are created through that integration.” At this point, Mauck says, most hospitals in New England, including a lot of the smaller community hospitals, are now affiliated or directly partnered. That is going to offer many advantages, but there’s still some work that needs to be done to get there. “There’s still a lot of room to improve on those relationships

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Improving Access to Care

Health systems serving rural areas in particular are seeking to better foster access for patients. “People have been talking about remote care for 20 years, but last year was the first year where we started to see direct reimbursement from CMS around certain elements of remote care,” Mauck says. “It’s a strong signal of where the government wants to go.” While telehealth remains an important strategy, there’s also growing exploration in new technology to support at-home care and care at a distance. Mauck says more New England health systems are turning physicians’ offices into spoke care sites where specialists can interface with patients. This will allow more rural patients to get specialized care near home, rather than traveling to larger hubs.

Improving Upon Healthcare Needs

Overall, expect in 2020 to build upon the dramatic shifts in care delivery seen in recent years. Healthcare providers with new partners, new direction and new funding sources will be ready to implement fresh solutions for improving access to care. Strategies for managing these and other trends will be the focus of the New England Hospital Outpatient Facilities & Medical Office Buildings Summit, taking place April 22 in Boston. For more information, visit www.squarefootage.net. Megan Headley is editor of websites and overall communication for two organizations: Corporate Realty, Design & Management Institute and Association of Medical Facility Professionals.

ASM Looks Ahead to 2020 by Peter Gormley

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and create a truly integrated network in those systems,” Mauck says.

Mauck predicts we’ll see more private equity supporting independent practitioners in direct care delivery. In areas such as orthopedics and women’s health, where CMS coverage changes are encouraging those practices to move out of the hospital and into ambulatory settings, Mauck is seeing more groups of single specialty group practitioners who are often supported in the development of their businesses by private equity. He anticipates this becoming a significant trend in the next two years.

As 2020 gets started, we are ready for an exciting year at the Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts. In November, we welcomed nine new directors to our board. These members represent an array of skilled trades, come from well-known companies across the region, and bring great experience to our board. As the new president of ASM, I am eager to continue and build upon our rich history of supporting subcontractors. In 2020, we will deliver programs and education that our members need to be successful in their business, whether the topic is legal, insurance, or safety. And of course, we will always remain active on Beacon Hill, looking out for the interests of subcontractors and their ability to do business in Massachusetts. This year is particularly important on the legislative side because July 2020 marks the end of this session. Beyond programs and legislative activity, we hope to assist our members by advocating for workforce development and promoting the opportunities that young workers have by joining the trades. Finally, we must do more to address the opioid epidemic because the impact

on construction remains higher than in any other industry. Reducing opioid and substance abuse is not something the association can address alone – it will take a concerted effort of all in the industry to make a meaningful difference. As for the construction industry, no one has a crystal ball to predict how the market will perform in 2020. Ongoing work and the pipeline of upcoming projects, however, seem to have supplied enough work that 2020 looks to continue the strong pace. Just look at the number of new projects still being announced, not just in Boston, but across the state. For ASM members, it means continuing to keep up with busy schedules and maintaining a skilled workforce, while remaining prepared to adapt to changes in the market. Here is a glance at programs we have coming up in the first quarter of 2020. January – Legal seminar on change orders, and a Safety Roundtable program on fall protection for tools February – Update from the commissioner of the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) March – Economic forum looking at the future of the construction industry in Massachusetts Peter Gormley is president of New England Waterproofing, Inc. and president of Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts.