The Future of Health™ timeline
Explore the transformative forces reshaping health care
The next wave of industry innovation
Health is in the throes of a dramatic shift, morphing industry and competitive structure to foster the emergence of a truly robust and future-facing industry. The traditional system seems to be moving from being health care provider-centric to a more equitable, consumer-driven model focused on overall wellness. Well-being now encompasses physical, mental, social, emotional, financial, and spiritual health.
We’re moving toward a moment of reassembly
Since World War II, the legacy health system has often encompassed siloed organizations that most often operate independently to get a job done. The individual could be on the outside looking in, reacting only to what the system prescribes.
Today could be considered “wave 1.” This wave can be characterized by an explosion of data and analytics. Consumerism may be creating fractures within a rigid system, and the individual is moving to the center of health. In this ever-changing landscape, new business models, disruptive ideas, and breakthrough solutions are emerging and could lead to a reassembly moment similar to what we’ve seen in other industry transformations.
Industry incumbents: For example, government, providers, biopharma, med tech, and plans
New entrants: For example, technology, telecom, consumer-focused businesses, financial services, and native life sciences and health care players
Reconstruction is expected to surround the empowered consumer, who demands more accurate diagnoses, earlier disease detection, and a focus on prevention. Health networks and ecosystems could become increasingly sophisticated and integrated, with holistic engagement.
The shift toward wellness
Nearly all of today’s health spending focuses on sick care, with 80% of spend on 20% of patients.1 Over time, the center of gravity in the United States is shifting toward spending that promotes health rather than treating sickness and merely delaying symptoms.2
Today (US, 2023): ~$4.9T
Nearly all of today’s spend focuses on sick care; with 80% of spend on 20% of patients.
Tomorrow (US, 2030): ~$6.6T
Projecting current trends forward, health care spend will continue to be sickness-oriented and expenditures will grow to approximately $6.9 trillion in 2030.
Over time, the center of gravity is shifting toward spending that promotes health.
The Future (US, 2040): ~$11.3T
The Future of Health envisions a fully redefined ecosystem in which sick care becomes secondary and well-being is prioritized.3
Future of Health drivers
Health is in the process of reinvention. Rising consumer expectations and advances in data aggregation and analysis are redefining the industry’s existing structure. Many external pressures have accelerated the time horizon toward the Future of Health and activated key drivers, which include the following:
Individual
Consumerism: Demand for convenience and transparency
Data-sharing: Participation in and control of data-sharing
Institutional trust: Trust in the care systems and obligation to wellness of all
Behavioral change and nudging: Moving individuals to make different choices consistently
Mutual (individual and system)
Continued innovation: Accelerated pace of technological change and innovation
System
Data interoperability: Radical transformation of data architecture and analysis
Platforms and hyper-competition: Value-creating interactions between producers and consumers
Networks and ecosystems: Novel connections resulting from sector and industry convergence
As value in health care delivery moves to information over physical assets, the long-term winners will likely be organizations that focus on the experience—the always-on technology platform that serves the consumer and impels the system toward the new structure we anticipate.
Deloitte is uniquely suited to advise organizations as they transition through the waves of innovation. We’re helping market-shaping businesses unlock digitally enabled innovation.
