Business of medicine predictions for 2026 part two

Every practice leader knows that medicine is no longer defined only by what happens during a 15-minute office visit. Patients expect their care teams to follow them across virtual visits, home monitoring programs, urgent care, hospitals and everything in between. For physicians and administrators, the challenge is how to meet those expectations without losing control of workflows, finances or quality.

In conversations with business and clinical leaders, one theme comes up again and again: the need to rethink how care is organized around patients, not just around appointments. They are watching how practices respond to rising demand for behavioral health, chronic disease management, pediatric and complex care, and better coordination among all of those services. They also see growing pressure to prove that new models actually improve outcomes and experience, not just add complexity.

This second story in our three-part forecast series explores how leaders expect care delivery to evolve in the year ahead. Their insights highlight where physicians and practice managers may need to adjust staffing, redesign workflows and strengthen partnerships with hospitals, payers and community organizations. For practices that want to move from reactive to proactive care, the coming year may be a critical turning point.