Why hybrid healthcare is a business imperative for employers in Ohio
“As employers compete for talent and work to keep employees healthy and engaged, access to healthcare must better reflect how people live and work. Employers are also looking for solutions that lower the total cost of care while improving the overall experience for their employees. The future isn’t fully virtual or entirely in-person, but hybrid: seamlessly combining digital tools, virtual support, and in person care with greater speed, precision, and connectivity” (Peterson, 2026).
This article is written by Jane Peterson, the President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio. I found her perspective important in my research because she notes how the future of care needs to be hybrid, not only to better support the patients but also the healthcare companies and businesses paying for employees' healthcare.
“When nearly two-thirds of hourly workers receive schedules week to week, care requiring long wait times and limited appointments doesn’t work for employees or their employers” (Peterson, 2026).
Investigating statistics like this for rural people in Ohio would be important to my studies. I would suspect that this statistic could be even higher for rural Ohioans, as well as being more of an issue with longer travel times.
“For employers, that translates to fewer disruptions during the workday, better employee engagement, and lower costs tied to missed work or delayed care.
When care is connected, people are more likely to stay on top of preventive care, better manage chronic conditions, and reduce avoidable costs” (Peterson, 2026).
Again, hybrid care benefits both the user and the employer, keeping costs down for both and causing fewer interruptions from work.
“Hybrid care only works when information can follow the individual. Without that connectivity, hybrid care can create fragmented experiences, delays in care, and unnecessary complexity for employees trying to navigate the system” (Peterson, 2026).
“People expect healthcare to fit into their lives. Meeting that expectation requires a connected, flexible approach that seamlessly blends technology with in-person care. Smarter, more connected care approaches can improve the cost of care, simplify the healthcare experience, improve outcomes, and support a healthier, more productive, workforce – creating more opportunity for Ohio businesses” (Peterson, 2026).
Overall, healthcare needs to be flexible and able to directly connect with patients. The benefits spread across all stakeholders, meaning there should not be anyone with an incentive not to help with this initiative. Integrating with other healthcare solutions and networks would be crucial, allowing care and data to follow a patient no matter how they need to receive it.
References
Peterson, J. (2026, July 24). Why hybrid healthcare is a business imperative for employers in Ohio. Dayton Business Journal. https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2026/07/24/hybrid-healthcare-business-imperative-ohio.html
No generative AI was used in writing this article.
