Health equity: Predictions for 2024

At SameSky Health, we’re pleased to present a collection of health equity predictions from industry colleagues for the second year. For the 2024 predictions, we spoke with influential health equity leaders, asking for their thoughts about the year ahead. Their predictions serve as both an inspiration and a reality check for all of us who strive to ensure everyone has access to the quality care and outcomes they deserve. We'll begin with our Founder and CEO, Abner Mason's prediction for 2024.

Abner Mason, Founder and CEO • SameSky Health

“The funding that flooded healthcare technology in 2019 had all but dried up in 2023. As companies feel the squeeze in the year ahead, market dynamics will force significant consolidation. The bad news is that it's going to hurt health equity efforts. But just as pressure turns coal into diamonds, consolidation will strengthen companies. The organizations that emerge will be better equipped to deliver on the promise of health equity. They will innovate through new ways to improve patient experiences, engage underserved communities, and, ultimately, boost outcomes. Operating with cost-effectiveness in mind, they will thrive in leaner times.”

Natalie Davis, CEO • US of Care

“While 2024 may be a year full of political rhetoric focused on what separates us, we know there’s more that unites us than divides us — especially when it comes to health equity. Leaders would be well served to hear what people are demanding: an affordable, dependable, personalized, and understandable healthcare system for everyone. In 2023, we heard people across demographics express their support for a patient-first care approach (also known as value-based care) as one lever to improve health equity, prioritizing quality and making care more personalized.

“In 2024, I predict that support for a patient-first care approach will continue to gain traction, and hope that leaders will see this opportunity to take meaningful steps towards a more fair system.”

Erica Galvez, CEO • Manifest MedEx

“We cannot achieve health equity without digital equity that gives every provider and health plan the ability to share and use the health information they need to care for their patients and members regardless of their size, geography, or resources. We have significant gaps in our ability to share electronic health information across some of the most underserved and vulnerable communities in our nation. The market has not, and likely will not, self-calibrate to address these gaps because it is often not financially profitable to do so.

“I predict that an increasing number of policymakers and administration officials will recognize this in 2024, and begin working toward purposeful and intentional public investment in health data utility and health data safety net infrastructure that will inform and propel public health and health equity efforts in the future.”

Darrell Gray, MD, MPH, President • Wellpoint

“I predict ‘techquity’ taking more of center stage across the healthcare industry. With the evolution and increasing adoption and integration of artificial intelligence (AI), I expect there to be more public scrutiny across the ecosystem and calls for the accountability of both creators and users of AI platforms and programs to: A) measure and deliver ‘responsible innovation,’ and, B) clearly articulate the potential implications on improving or worsening health inequities.

“Organizations that comprehensively adopt and seamlessly articulate their methods of implementing responsible AI will undoubtedly gain a competitive edge.”

Rishi Manchanda, MD, MPH, CEO • HealthBegins

“Many will aim for compliance, while vanguards will strive for real impact. As new regulatory requirements, performance incentives, and accreditation standards prompt more health plans, hospitals, and clinics — especially those serving Medicaid beneficiaries — to focus on reducing healthcare inequities and patients’ health-related social needs, many will choose to simply comply with new requirements by reconfiguring or launching a patchwork of programs. But a smaller group of vanguard leaders and teams will rise to this moment, deciding to move beyond mere compliance toward real impact. And they will do so using a cohesive portfolio of strategies that drives equity-focused improvement and transformation across multiple levels — from patient care to institutional policy, and from community conditions to the societal practices that put people in harm’s way.

“Those who aim only for compliance with equity requirements will continue to struggle in the face of mounting political pressure to curb healthcare profiteering, medical debt, and other inequitable practices, while vanguards will not only meet requirements but also be better positioned to navigate these challenges and attract talent and resources as they embrace transformation and integrate health & social care to advance equity.”

Kristina Saffran, CEO and Co-founder • Equip

“I predict (and am excited for!) health equity efforts to increasingly be viewed not just through a lens of access, but also through a lens of quality. Payors should expect providers to report on quality outcomes by demographics.”

Brenda Shipp, Chief Operations and Privacy Officer • Wellspace Health

“2024 is going to be the year that the silence ends. In 2023 there were many deliberate changes to impact people's rights. People watched in amazement and shock, not surprise, that Roe v. Wade and Affirmative Action were dismantled. The spotlight was front and center on health inequity and the impact on black women, sometimes leading to death.

“I predict that people from all walks of life and all industries will unite and call out in loud voices what is happening in this country and do something to make it change.”

Stephen Smith, Co-founder and CEO • NOCD

“My prediction for 2024 is that behavioral health provider networks will rightfully be held accountable to specific service level agreements (SLAs) related to health equity.”

Laurie Zephyrin, MD, MPH, MBA, SVP for Advancing Health Equity • Commonwealth Fund

“We will continue to support the advancement of ‘top-down’ policies to create lasting systems change in pursuit of health equity. However, amplified ‘bottom-up’ opportunities will drive transformation and we will see new models of care and funding mechanisms for solutions led by communities.”