The healthcare industry faces significant change over the next decade, and increasingly more healthcare organizations are meeting those challenges through efforts to reduce costs while improving long-term patient outcomes. With the advent of virtual, community-based care, providers can expect several advantages:

The age demographics of the U.S. and Canada are creating a growing need for more proactive care. According to the Advisory Board, an estimated 3 million baby boomers will reach retirement each year for the next 20 years. Another 33 percent of adults are identified as obese, according to the CDC.

Both of these trends highlight a growing necessity for the management of chronic illnesses and for proactively reaching patients before they require hospital care.

Payors are increasingly offering virtual services to improve patient outcomes by providing both convenience and the capability to target specific patient populations based on their condition or location, such as complex chronic care, rural areas, or those with mobility needs.

And while improving healthcare outcomes, reducing costs, enabling increased access, and allowing for more convenient care are the general objectives of any care initiative, virtual care offers several unique benefits to carriers.