The Business Group on Health predicts that most large employers will offer access to at least one Center of Excellence (CoE) in 2025. This insight comes from their Employer Health Care Strategy Survey, which outlines what the future of employer-sponsored health care might look like.

CoEs help businesses provide better overall health benefits to their employee by offering:

• High-quality healthcare from top physicians
• Reasonable and predictable pricing
• Expanded access to specialty services

As the survey shows, CoEs are gaining traction as a smart, strategic option—especially in today’s unpredictable healthcare landscape. Employers are clearly starting to see their value.

Key Insights From the Business Group on Health 

A Pillar of Value-Based Care

The Business Group on Health emphasizes that CoEs are a key part of a broader value-based approach.

While healthcare providers worldwide are moving towards value-based care, employers are still developing effective strategies to guide employees to high-quality care. This applies to employees receiving care within their home country and those needing to travel internationally for specialized treatment.

A global CoE strategy can enhance the quality of care. It's important to distinguish this from medical tourism, which focuses solely on cost savings.

A global CoE travel program prioritizes access to the highest-quality care, especially for complex medical conditions, even if it involves international travel. 

For example, a US patient in need of spine surgery may discover that the top surgeon for their procedure is part of World Class Health’s Global CoE Network, based in Costa Rica. World Class Health coordinates every detail—from travel and accommodations to post-operative care—so patients can focus on what matters most: their health and recovery.

The Cost Equation

As the Business Group on Health notes, escalating healthcare costs and regional access challenges are key issues. Navigating these challenges by steering employees towards facilities that are within a reasonable distance and can deliver high-quality, affordable care, whether locally or internationally, may represent the next frontier in an employer’s healthcare strategy.

The key to addressing these concerns lies in the strategic deployment of CoEs. CoEs not only ensure access to better medical care but also come with cost savings for procedures compared to the U.S. average.

By focusing on high-value care for complex and high-volume medical conditions, CoEs offer a more efficient use of healthcare resources.

Expanding Scope of CoEs

According to the Business Group of Health, CoEs have expanded the amount of conditions covered. At first, CoEs focused on specialized procedures like transplants and heart surgeries, but they’re now including high-volume needs like maternity and mental health services.

The evolution reflects the growing recognition of the importance of comprehensive, high-quality care for different health conditions. Emerging areas like fertility treatments, bariatric surgery, cell and gene therapy, and long COVID care have now been integrated into the offerings of many CoEs. This expansion underscores the commitment to addressing the diverse and complex healthcare needs of employees.

World Class Heath’s Global CoE Network provides access to many procedures, including:

• Cardiac valve replacement
• Cervical disk replacement
• Coronary bypass
• Disectomy/laminectomy
• Gastric sleeve of bypass
• Hip, knee, or shoulder replacement
• In vitro fertilization
• Spinal fusion/decompression

Discover the World Class Health Global CoE Network

In alignment with the Business Group of Health’s recommendations, World Class Health has developed a Global CoE Network designed to expand access, improve outcomes, and reduce costs for employers and their employees.

By offering access to the highest-quality care across a range of medical conditions, the network ensures that employees receive top-notch treatment without being limited by geographical constraints. This approach enhances the quality of care a patient receives, leading to a better overall experience.

At the end of the day, the Business Group of Health has emphasized the absolutely critical role CoEs will play in the future of healthcare. World Class Health is uniquely positioned to leverage these insights through its Global Excellence Network. 

To learn more, contact WCH and discover how you can better position your organization in 2025 and beyond.