As the healthcare industry moves forward with the shift into value-based care, there is a lot of discussion, frustration and confusion within the community around how this change will improve the current and future state of healthcare. These shifts and regulation changes are creating many pain points for healthcare organizations across the country. However, as we enter into the holiday season, we’d like to pause and think about areas of advancement for which we should be grateful. We live in an era of unprecedented access and discovery for medicine, and we sometimes lose sight of the amazing things we have achieved. Each one of the following trends is moving the needle toward more quality-driven, patient-focused care. Taken together, they stand to transform the industry in ways that have yet to be fully imagined.

The term “cloud” gets tossed around a lot these days as software providers talk about their “cloud-based” offerings and their technology that “sits on the web.” However, there are some common misconceptions surrounding this concept that warrant clarification. As specialty providers look to upgrade their technology solutions, they should make sure they fully appreciate what it means to be in the cloud and how that can impact their functionality, efficiency and performance.

Never has there been a more dynamic time in healthcare, and the pace of change is extraordinary. Emerging payment models are encouraging more proactive care, demanding greater collaboration and rewarding value. In addition, rising consumerism is pushing for more service-oriented patient experiences. Given these evolving—and sometimes contradictory—dynamics, ophthalmology, dermatology and plastic surgery providers should be continuously reexamining their processes for care delivery and operations to be sure they’re keeping up.

Long waits, inefficient care episodes and distracted doctors can make your patients feel like they’re living a nightmare. There’s no better time than Halloween to get rid of any process skeletons and explore a few tricks and treats for strengthening performance. Here are some key ways that technology can ensure your practice is ready to handle whatever ghosts and goblins come your way.

Physician burnout continues to be a problem for the healthcare profession. According to a recent Medscape survey, 42 percent of physicians report burnout, and nearly half of those reporting experience it frequently. Not only is this concerning in terms of physicians’ well-being, but also because of the issue’s potential downstream ramifications. When physicians are dissatisfied and overwhelmed, they may not be at their best during patient encounters, and interactions with colleagues may also be affected. As a result, if left unchecked, this crisis in physician health could have wide-ranging impacts on patient care.

Building relationships are key to specialty practice marketing. Communicating to a target audience that the practice values them and wants to meet their needs helps cultivate strong affiliations with patients as well as other physicians who may refer patients to the organization. Establishing and reinforcing these connections can draw individuals into the practice, preserve loyalty and increase the likelihood for positive long-term performance.

Staying afloat in these changing times requires specialty practices to ramp up their marketing efforts. A relatively straightforward step is to look at how patients are referred to an organization and use that information to guide marketing interventions. Taking a data-driven approach allows an organization to effectively and efficiently pull more patients into the practice and better retain current customers.

There has never been a more critical time to market a specialty practice. Increasing competition, rising patient consumerism and the need to expand shrinking margins are all factors that are pushing practices to better promote themselves. When done well, marketing efforts can drive referrals, foster loyalty and establish a positive reputation. Moreover, they can boost brand visibility, grow recognition and cultivate long-lasting patient and referral source relationships.