Four Healthcare Trends from HLTH 2024

HLTH 2024, the largest healthcare innovation conference in the U.S., brought the future of the industry to life with interactive panels and sessions on next-gen care delivery models, AI-enabled medical devices, health policy shifts, and more.  

VSP Vision Care, the nation’s leader in providing access to health-focused vision care, serves over 85 million members and 42,000 network doctors. It’s Global Innovation Center demonstrated how innovation can help harness human potential through sight.  

During the conference, Will Flanagan from the Global Innovation Center presented the “Future of Senses” Futurist Report on the Tech Talk Stage, outlining five key trends for how sensory-based innovations and technologies are paving the way for a new era of human experience. You can read the full report here. 

After connecting with many of the 13,000+ HLTH attendees, speakers, and exhibitors, we spotted four key trends that emerged throughout the conference.  
 
1. Wearable tech is leveling up. 
💡 The promise: The quantified self is within reach. 

• Consumer rings, patches, and other smart devices are driving this shift, with products like the Oura Ring and Google’s wearable offerings leading the pack. 
• Beyond fitness tracking, these tools are now focusing on disease monitoring and early detection, creating a bridge between consumer wearables and clinical outcomes. 
• Expect increased integration with healthcare providers, making it easier to manage chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease from the wrist or fingertip. 

 
2. Mental health innovation is getting leaner while growing. 
🧠 What’s happening: The market is consolidating from a wide array of startups to focus on fewer, larger bets. 

• Fewer mental health booths at HLTH, but the ones that were present were substantial—mirroring a market that is seeing fewer, but more significant, investment rounds. 
• Selling access to therapists is no longer lucrative. The market for virtual teletherapy appears to have plateaued, and competition has intensified. 
• Investors are now more focused on scalable mental health solutions like AI-driven behavioral health support and digital platforms that move beyond just connecting patients with therapists. 

 
3. Federal policy is turning to women’s health. 
⚖️ The focus: Women’s health, especially around fertility, pregnancy, and maternal care, is a top priority. 

• This trend continued across various healthcare events this year, and HLTH 2024 was no different. Expect regulatory changes aimed at improving maternal care and potentially increased funding for startups that specialize in these areas. 
• With the renewed focus on pregnancy-related outcomes such as postpartum depression, newborn health, and the quality of care, policymakers are pushing for better data integration and care models that ensure more consistent and equitable access to women’s healthcare. 
• The result? A potential boost for startups and companies working on innovative care models and tech solutions that address maternal health disparities. 

 
4. Longevity is the new hot topic. 
⏳ Why it matters: Longevity-focused solutions like GLP-1 drugs are no longer a niche segment—they’re mainstream. 

• GLP-1s, initially developed for diabetes, are being repurposed for weight management, generating buzz about their broader implications for aging. 
• Beyond drugs, the longevity space is looking into compounded pharmacies that can personalize prescriptions to optimize individual health needs. 
• It’s a rapidly growing market as consumers seek ways to extend their health span, not just lifespan, driving interest in preventative medicine and advanced therapies. 

Why it matters: HLTH 2024 showed that while healthcare innovation continues, the industry is maturing. There are fewer speculative bets, more focus on solutions in market, and a direct path to impact patients. 

For more vision innovation news and updates, check out the Global Innovation Center's LinkedIn page.