When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the healthcare industry took center stage among news and media outlets. Fast forward nearly three years, and the revolving coverage around healthcare has not dissipated. Between hospital staffing shortages, an aging population, emerging care delivery models and consistent M&A activity, there is certainly a lot to talk about in the world of healthcare—and the role that technology is increasingly playing in it.
To better understand the latest trends, news and insights surrounding healthcare – and the technological innovations that are ushering in better experiences for patients and providers alike – V2 hosted a webinar on The State of Healthcare Tech Journalism. As V2’s SVP and Health Tech practice lead, it was an honor to moderate the panel discussion, where I was joined by HealthLeaders’ Innovation & Tech Editor, Eric Wicklund, and Digital Health & Business Technology’s Deputy Editor, Gabe Perna. We discussed today’s hottest trends in health tech, the most intriguing opportunities to enhance healthcare tomorrow and the obstacles that must be overcome to take full advantage of better, tech-supported care.
Here are three key takeaways from our discussion:
1. The Industry Trends Capturing Media Attention
Advancements in digital health technologies will continue to steal the headlines in 2023. With an aging population and healthcare worker shortages, the media continues to be interested in tools that help providers deliver quality care to more people.
“Automation is probably one of the catchier phrases right now. Technologies that improve the workflow and cutdown in stress and workloads within an organization and improve patient access—anything that can get the patient to the provider quicker and easier—will be the ones that will be focused on this year,” said Eric.
That said, the press recognizes that investments in digital health companies is unlikely to compare to what we saw in 2021. With a tightening economic market, Gabe acknowledges that the media “knows there just isn’t as much money going into health technology as there was in… 2021.”
2. The Sources Journalists Want to Hear from
When it comes to finding the right sources to expound upon healthcare industry trends and opportunities, Gabe and Eric agree that a variety of voices is key. While there are always benefits to sitting down with a CEO or CIO of a health tech brand, it is also important to connect with customers (such as executives or clinicians at health systems) who are using the technology. This gives journalists a more in-depth understanding of if and how health tech innovations are all that they’re cracked up to be.
And, as Gabe pointed out, speaking with patients is ideal for journalists. Often, the patient’s voice gets lost in the shuffle. However, articles spotlighting the human element of healthcare tech are what move the needle for audience and showcase the importance of the technologies’ innovation today. Take, for example, Gabe’s 2022 article, Patients Share Experiences in Digital Health Pilots. The article highlights the experiences of two seniors with two home-based technologies developed by V2 client Current Health, a Best Buy Health company, and discusses how grateful the patients were for the technology for allowing them to stay close to loved ones while recovering from serious ailments.
3. The Events Reporters are Flocking To
To connect with stories and learn about emerging market trends, journalists make a point to attend key industry events. The three top ones that were identified will come as no surprise to anyone in the health tech world: HLTH, HIMSS and ViVE.
While the conferences all offer benefits, some are more valuable than others depending on the maturity or sub-sector of any given brand. Last year’s HLTH conference, as Eric described, brought excitement and the feeling of endless possibilities. It was the perfect event for startups looking to engage media and get their brands recognized for revolutionary ideas. For what it’s worth, Eric also noted he had an unprecedented number of pitches to meet with companies at this year’s event, serving as a good reminder for PR professionals to come up with a compelling package to engage reporters onsite— whether that involves news, customer voices and/or opportunities to meet with C-suite executives and investors at the shows.
Gabe described how HIMSS tends to attract more mature organizations with long track records of success. While the event still offers insights into innovative healthcare technology, “HIMSS is more about established ideas from organizations that are really in the weeds,” said Gabe, drawing more technology practitioners.
ViVE, on the other hand, is a healthcare conference newcomer, which launched for the first time in 2022. Eric explained that while he is still interested in seeing how the event plays out in the coming years, this year’s attendees were a mixed bag of emerging and established brands.
I can’t thank Eric and Gabe enough for sitting down and discussing the latest trends and hot media topics permeating the health tech industry. As we head into 2023, there continues to be a lot of issues in our healthcare system. However, the conversation reinforced that there are a lot of great companies committed to enhancing efficiencies, improving provider experiences and enhancing care for everyone – and a lot of interest in learning about where healthcare is headed. For our full conversation, watch the entire The State of Healthcare Tech Journalism webinar here.
To learn more about how V2 is helping healthcare innovators make a splash in 2023, visit our Health Tech page.