Squeezing costs out of health care tops PwC's list of health industry Issues in 2010

Financial consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute's Top 10 Health Industry Issues in 2010, puts health care cost control at the head of the list as the overarching theme for the year ahead.

"Healthcare typically lags trends in the business cycle by a year or more. While flat may be the new growth for other sectors of the US economy, the recession could hit health care in 2010," said David Chin, a partner and leader of PwC's Health Research Institute. "The primary emphasis for all health care organizations in the year ahead will be on reducing costs and creating greater value in the health system, a focus that will have a domino effect from one sector to another and redefine roles, responsibilities and relationships," he added.

Each year, the PwC Health Research Institute publishes its top issues across all health industry sectors. The report includes trends affecting insurers, hospitals, physicians and other providers, pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, as well as the growing number of non-traditional market participants converging into the healthcare space. This year's top 10 issues are: