Healthcare Without Walls: The Growth of Consumer - Driven Care

Direct-to-consumer healthcare is changing how patients engage with care, driven by growing demand for convenience, accessibility, and personalized experiences. VerifiedRx host Stacy Lauderdale is joined by Emily Fitt, Hailey Mulliner, and Heather Pace to discuss the continued rise of telehealth and direct-to-consumer healthcare platforms, the areas experiencing the most growth, and what these evolving models may mean for patients, providers, and health systems in the future.

 

Guest Speakers: 
Emily Fitt, MHA, MPH
Senior Associate, Sg2 Intelligence
Vizient, Inc.

 

Hailey Mulliner, MS-HSM
Senior Director, Sg2 Intelligence
Vizient, Inc.

 

Heather Pace, Pharm.D.
Senior Clinical Manager, Ambulatory
Vizient, Inc.

Host: 
Stacy Lauderdale, Pharm.D., BCPS 
AVP, Evidence-Based Medicine 
Vizient

 

Show Notes:

 (00:52) The panel discusses where direct-to-consumer healthcare has gained the most traction, including:

• Men’s reproductive health
• Women’s contraceptives
• Dermatology and acne care
• Behavioral health
• GLP-1 and obesity management

 (01:59) Heather explains how GLP-1 medication shortages fueled growth in compounded obesity medications and expanded telehealth services.

 (02:47) Hailey shares insights from SG2 consumer surveys, emphasizing how patients increasingly want customizable, convenient healthcare experiences like other consumer industries.

 (03:26) The group explores future expansion areas for direct-to-consumer healthcare, including:

• Cardiovascular disease management
• Type 2 diabetes
• Orthopedic care
• Cardiometabolic disease monitoring

 (04:31) Discussion shifts to the benefits and drawbacks for patients, including:

• Increased convenience and access
• More comfortable treatment environments
• Greater patient empowerment
• Risks of fragmented care and disconnected treatment plans

 (06:07) Emily outlines concerns for health systems, including:

• Increased emergency department utilization
• Lack of coordinated care
• Medication management gaps
• Challenges identifying medications prescribed outside the health system

 (07:03) Heather discusses medication stewardship concerns, particularly as weight loss impacts management of other chronic conditions like hypertension.

 (07:29) The panel highlights operational challenges for hospitals and procedural teams when patients fail to disclose GLP-1 medications prior to surgeries or colonoscopies.

 (07:58) The conversation turns to how direct-to-consumer healthcare is permanently changing consumer expectations around convenience and accessibility.

 (08:36) The panel debates whether health systems should compete with direct-to-consumer companies or pursue partnership strategies.

 (09:51) Emily discusses how health systems can differentiate themselves by offering the full continuum of care that virtual only providers cannot.

 (10:20) Heather Pace emphasizes the importance of partnerships between health systems and direct-to-consumer platforms to improve access while maintaining coordinated care.

 (10:55) The group discusses emerging partnerships in the marketplace, including collaborations between pharmaceutical manufacturers and direct-to-consumer platforms.

 (12:14)Workforce challenges are explored, including:

• Competition for clinicians
• Provider burnout
• Flexibility offered by virtual care employers

 (13:17) The panel examines future trends involving AI, including patients using AI to interpret labs and emerging AI-assisted prescribing models in behavioral health.

 (14:24) Closing thoughts on how direct-to-consumer healthcare is reshaping patient expectations and forcing health systems to rethink care delivery models.

 

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