It’s that time of year again. Many thought leaders put out their predictions of what will come to pass in the year ahead for health care. But what would theory predict? In this piece, I’ll highlight theory-based predictions around what 2023 will bring. Specifically, it will focus on what the theory of Jobs to Be Done may forecast.

I’ve written extensively about Jobs Theory in the past, but a quick recap can be summarized as follows:

  • A “job” is the progress someone seeks in a given situation or circumstance. We call this situation or circumstance an individual’s context.
  • As a result, a job has two parts: the desired progress and the person’s context. Individuals “hire” products and services—that is, they pull them into their lives—in order to get a specific job done.
  • When a new product or service comes along that someone perceives serves their job better than the old solution, they hire the new product or service and “fire” the old one.

In health care, there are myriad examples of how existing offerings fail to meet consumers’ Jobs to Be Done. This presents an opportunity for new entrants—and incumbents—to serve currently unmet jobs. Here I’ll highlight how Jobs to Be Done will likely shape the year ahead in health care.

  • Prediction 1: Companies that focus on the job will find growth where others struggle 
  • Prediction 2: Women’s health will remain a priority, and those that respond are poised to win
  • Prediction 3: Jobs-focused value-based care (VBC) models will continue to grow incrementally 

Read the full article about healthcare innovation by Ann Somers Hogg at Christensen Institute.