In light of federal and state pressures to reduce costs, healthcare organizations will need to clearly demonstrate they are delivering better value.  That was one of the key findings in a recent report by the PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) Health Research Institute.  In its study, the PwC institute forecast the top healthcare trends for 2012, along with consumer data from online surveys of 1,000 U.S. adults.

The PwC report found that 52 percent of respondents would be interested in a value-based insurance plan. For example, such a plan might have lower fees for treatments known to be effective, while new treatments with unproven benefits would cost more.

Another key finding was that 65 percent of the people surveyed believe that health plans should offer a wide range of choices in terms of hospitals, doctors and treatment options. That’s an important consideration for healthcare organizations now in the process of building integrated partnerships and alliances to deliver more cost-efficient care.  In the last year, health insurers committed more than $2 billion to acquire or align with physician groups, clinics, and hospitals, according to PwC.

Finally, the PwC report also noted that more than half of respondents (52 percent) who were familiar with the health insurance exchange concept said they believe it will be easier to find and purchase a competitive health plan when the exchange markets open to consumers in 2014.

So it’s clear that consumers want value and choice from their providers, along with a lower cost of care.  Finding the right balance will be a continuing challenge for healthcare organizations of all sizes.

If you’re interested in downloading the full PwC report, click here.