Summer 2019 Trends: Health & Wellness

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All human behavior has a reason. All behavior is solving a problem.

- Michael Crichton Author

Health & Wellness

Robotic RNs With the number of nursing jobs predicted to grow faster than other jobs at a rate of 15% from 2016 – 2026, (*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) hospitals face staffing shortages affecting crucial patient care. Diligent Robotics is taking on the challenge with Moxi, a robot designed to run 30% of nurses’ daily tasks that don’t involve patient interactions. Quelling fears of human replacement, Moxi programs into electronic health records to help streamline nurses’ load and allow more patient interaction. Beta trials revealed that patients and staff alike, showed an affinity for the human-robot social interaction.

HIGH TECH & HIGH TOUCH

Technology has intricately woven itself into our health systems to optimize resources and advance care. From wearables and widgets to alternative therapies and automation, patients increasingly want their healthcare services to integrate seamlessly with their lifestyle.

Uniquely You In the realm of rare conditions, treatments often receive limited funding and lead to a gap in true solutions for patients. Thanks to a bevy of technological innovations, new entrants are beginning to displace status quo medications and even surgeries. Cala Health is one such provider introducing devices based in electrical medicine to treat conditions like Essential Tremor. Their first product, Cala Trio, is a simple, watch-like device that calibrates to a patient’s unique tremors pattern—giving them access to treatment when and where they want it.

Why It Matters +

While hesitations around data security and the automation revolution exist, the push to better outcomes for patients will continue to prevail. If robots free up 50% of the workday by reducing mundane tasks, the opportunity exists to dedicate human resources to more impactful change in the healthcare realm and beyond. And with wearables offering more targeted treatments, systemic medications with side effects may be rendered a thing of the past. As familiarity with these disruptive methods increases, so too, does their ability to impact change.

CANNABIS WITH A CONSCIENCE

As the cannabis category matures in awareness, education, and reach, conversations expand to cover complex issues that more traditional categories continually face head on. Ushering in a new narrative in cannabis, the marketplace tackles sustainability and social equity to create lasting brand ideals that go beyond a sea of green leaves and pot puns.

Alternative Healing

More and more people are looking to replace pharmaceutical drugs with alternative medicines. According to “Disruptor Daily” and Richard Harrington, CEO of Vaital Organics, “We are going back to the future in the western world. We are starting to treat the cause of disease, not the symptoms. Cannabis and its hundreds of individual cannabinoids, will become the global source for new medicines.” With the cannabis testing market expected to exceed $2.0 billion by 2025, the trend indicates a legitimate recognition of medicinal benefits, forcing the healthcare industry to take notice.

Show Me What You Got

As legalization expands, social justice has been slow to evolve, but a few cannabis leaders are working to make a change. California dispensary chain Caliva is leading the charge with strategic partnerships designed to put the spotlight on lags in the system. As the company’s newly announced Chief Brand Strategist, music mogul Jay-Z is using the brand platform to foster programs like workforce development for those previously incarcerated. Meanwhile, Caliva partnered with Ben & Jerry’s on 4/20 to support Clear My Record, helping expunge non-violent marijuana convictions from individual records. By building a strong ethos, these brands are showcasing credibility in the industry as a stepping stone to a more just path ahead.

Growing and selling is no longer the highest hurdle in the cannabis category. With a booming marketplace, establishing long-lasting market share will require brand promises that go deeper than surface level. As legalization evolves by the day, people still continue to face, and return from, incarceration over non-violent marijuana convictions. In a new age of access, this subset of consumers can usher in more visibility into where cannabis has been, and where it’s going.

Why It Matters +

THE GREAT PHARMACEUTICAL SHAKEUP

The pharmaceutical industry has long relied on a strategy that surrounds big-ticket molecules. But with the rise of customer expectations, the ecosystem is changing, and with it, payers will continue to intensify costs and scrutinize value. To maintain credibility, pharma brands are taking a hard look inward.

Stretching The System

As global populations surge, disease is on the rise, and with it an unprecedented burden on the healthcare system. According to PwC, chronic diseases are expected to increase to 57% by 2020, with about 60% of that burden occurring in emerging markets not ready to support the costs. To combat the pressure, healthcare at large is placing greater emphasis on preventive health solutions, opening the door for industries like retail, technology and fitness to bring innovative solutions to disease prevention.

Trumping Transparency

The recent push for pricing transparency has forced pharma companies to explore strategies that better meet both payer and patient needs. One area transparency is coming into focus is with patient data. To prove trustworthiness, pharma leaders are strengthening data capabilities by building track records that support genetic testing and diagnostics, real-time information for clinician decision-making, and unearthing new approaches to deal with health system maturities. One example is Verily Life Sciences’ recent partnership with giants Novartis, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Pfizer, and Sanofi—focused on speeding up clinical research and trials.

Unconvential Value Creation

Why It Matters +

The pursuit of better outcomes is fueling an uptick in digital treatments. Wearables, ingestibles and implantables offer opportunities to prevent adverse effects before they happen. AstraZeneca recently partnered with Vida Health to trial an app that walks patients through the post-heart attack recovery process using live digital coaches. Meanwhile, non-traditional players shake things up with Amazon partnering with JPMorgan Chase to lower employer healthcare spending, and Apple partnering with hospitals to put medical records directly in patients’ hands.

With the highest levels ever seen in Phase 3 failures, drug costs are increasing year-over-year. In order to maintain productivity, pharma brands will be forced to adopt strategies that prove they can remove costs on the healthcare system at large. More than just product, companies exploring complementary service models can work to sustain patient outcomes and meet them where they are.