June 23, 2025- Sg2, a Vizient® company, announced the release of the 2025 Impact of Change® Forecast, highlighting an 18% growth in adult outpatient (OP) volumes and a 5% increase in adult inpatient (IP) discharges over the next decade. The annual 10-year forecast provides insight into anticipated shifts in care delivery across the nation, including emerging trends in pediatric care, cancer outpatient volumes, the impact of GLP-1s on disease management and projections for post-acute care.
As care continues to shift to outpatient settings—reaching 6.03 billion volumes by 2035— annual inpatient discharges are still projected to reach 31.9 million by the end of the decade, with individuals aged 65+ accounting for more than half of these discharges. These patients will bring with them multiple comorbidities, such as congestive heart failure and behavioral health conditions, requiring longer and more intensive hospital stays. Inpatient days are expected to rise by 10%, to 175.8 million days—a trend that will exacerbate existing capacity issues.
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