To mark World Health Day, VML Health has released a new report which underlines that the next big wins in healthcare won’t come from science alone. 

The report, entitled Health Futures: 10 Trends Defining the Future of Healthcare, argues that the fault line in the future of healthcare will not be caused by a lack of scientific breakthroughs. Instead, it will be rooted in patient experience and if advances in science translate to meaningful positive experiences in the messy realities of patients' lives. 

In an era in which health systems are under pressure like never before, the report unpicks the new opportunities for health brands to engage people in the in-between moments that surround clinical care. The thought-provoking research sparks new perspectives on prevention, diagnosis, and long-term care.

The report identifies ten key trends that signal a shift in healthcare’s centre of gravity: from generalised reactive clinical care to more precise, preventive and person-centred support as people move through health systems. It also pointed to the importance of 'lived outcomes’ as the new measure of success. An approach which helps to shift focus from surviving to living, with greater emphasis on connection, independence, and living well with (and beyond) disease.

“The core message of Health Futures is that great science is only the starting point,” explained Claire Gillis, CEO at VML Health. She continued: “So much of people’s experience now happens in the in-between spaces: before diagnosis, between appointments, and between what the label says and what life actually looks like.”  

Making the most of the in-between moments

One of the big themes of the research was the importance of precision care through ‘early-signal’ health. This refers to the growing space between feeling well and being formally diagnosed.

As more people use medical-grade wearables and notice subtle deviations from baseline, the report highlighted that an untapped demographic is emerging: the ‘pre-patient.’ 

This opens new opportunities to navigate the ‘in-between’ space before clinical engagement and support more informed dialogue with healthcare providers. The report identified new opportunities to help people turn their data into greater understanding. A shift which provides an opportunity for brands to develop clear, accessible tools that enable the interpretation of signals and guide when to act.

All of these trends point to the importance of communicating with clarity and compassion. As Gillis explains: “Our clients are transforming treatment in oncology, metabolic disease, neurology and beyond. Our challenge is how we surround those treatments and the clinicians delivering them, with communications, tools and services that work in those in-between moments. People need to understand, trust and sustain treatment in the reality of their own lives. Achieving this relies on empowered patient voices to drive change from within the system.” 

The research also underlines the growing importance of lived experience in healthcare communication.  Jason Gloye, Chief Client Officer and NA lead at VML Health, explains: “World Health Day is a reminder that health is not only a fundamental right, but it is also a lived experience.”

He continues: “Health Futures highlights the need for precise, stigma-free communications that help people interpret signals, talk confidently to doctors, and act without fear. The trends highlight the need to bring scientific breakthroughs to life through precision narratives that tackle stigma, through responsible use of data and AI that keeps clinicians at the centre, through genuine partnerships with the communities most affected by disease.”