Service Lines Growing, But Aligning Physicians is Tough

As the latest HealthLeaders Media intelligence report shows, most healthcare leaders anticipate that their service lines will grow over the next few years, with a big Baby Boomer-fueled push for oncology, orthopedic, and cardiology needs. And younger patients will generate the demand for wellness or neurological care, with new service lines to come.

Yet hospitals shouldn't automatically count on ROI. There's great angst among hospital leaders, the survey shows, in plans to integrate physicians to deliver that bottom line.

Indeed, hospital systems are pushing vigorously to capture a burgeoning market with new service lines, from inpatient to outpatient. Over the next two years, 75% of hospitals say they plan on expanding their existing service lines, such as heart and oncology programs, and 50% say they will establish new service lines.