Most hospital and health systems expect outpatient volumes to increase this year, and 40 percent think inpatient volumes will drop, according to a Guidehouse Center for Health Insights analysis of a Healthcare Financial Management Association survey.
HFMA asked top executives at 182 hospitals and health systems about their patient volume projections. The survey found for 2023:
- 95 percent of executives think outpatient volumes will increase
- 40 percent of executives estimate outpatient volumes will jump 10 percent or more
- 41 percent of leaders project inpatient volume will drop
- 17 percent of leaders are planning for a 10 percent or more inpatient volume decrease
- 25 percent of leaders think there will be a 10 percent or more increase in elective procedures
The survey also touched on workforce trends. Around 40 percent of the executives plan to reduce contractors or traveling nurses by 10 percent or more, and 18 percent of executives plan to go further with a 20 percent or more drop in contractors and traveling clinicians.
The additional outpatient volume means health systems will shift their workforce too. Around 90 percent of leaders said they would hire more advanced practitioners and 80 percent plan to add behavioral health providers.