Introduction
The healthcare sector in America has arguably been the most complex globally. Technological and environmental factors are essential in executing healthcare adjustments (Braithwaite et al. 823). America will continue to evolve in the next decade leading to significant structural healthcare system changes. These transitions play a crucial role in the well-being of patients and clinicians. They include more patients, enhanced technology, different models of healthcare delivery, increased costs, less pay for healthcare providers, more information, innovation opportunities, increased insurers, and patients being the ultimate consumers.
More Patients and Enhanced Technology
The number of people arriving at sixty-five years will drastically increase with “Baby Boomers.” Braithwaite et al. expound that more ill persons will be living longer ten years from now (824). Additionally, the ability to treat patients with chronic illnesses such as heart diseases increases their lifespan. Therefore, individuals with severe illnesses are expected to rise dramatically with the evolution of America’s healthcare sector. Moreover, the armamentarium and information available to healthcare providers will increase as treatment changes from cell to bedside and diagnosis becomes genetic (Braithwaite et al. 824).
Improved, less invasive imaging and the decreased use of catheter techniques will result in enhanced functional results. Risks knowledge will promote the use of other technology to prolong individuals’ lives. Using electronic technology in areas such as medical records will ease the billing procedure. As a result, physicians can directly dictate the records and get the software that analyzes patients’ visits or medical procedures and automatically establish current procedural terminology (CPT) codes (Braithwaite et al. 825). Therefore, complex compliance programs’ needs would be reduced because billing will relate directly to the content of the medical records.
More Information and Different Delivery Models
Data deriving from ill people will improve with the enhancement of technology. The internet can store the information of patients and provide the best care plan instantly (Braithwaite et al. 826). Moreover, clinicians will have the ability to question many patients, improving the quality of care they deliver. Besides, enhanced data about disease severity will also be developed. Understanding risks of diseases’ costs will be improved, therefore enabling clinicians to attend to critically ill individuals. The availability of enhanced public data will improve the treatment processes and results. Healthcare professionals who are incapable of acquiring desirable outcomes will either stop or put more effort when treating patients (Braithwaite et al. 826). The results and procedures will be optimized in the next ten years for a proportion of individuals with common illnesses.
The care of these patients will be more regularized and enable physicians to establish the best care delivery approach. Simultaneously, an increase in patient numbers will enhance practitioners’ demands; therefore, care model optimization will be the priority. Braithwaite et al. explain that there is a possibility of physician shortages in the next decade, increasing the need for specialists in areas where care delivery is more regular (827). Most patients will self-diagnose because they will derive information from the internet. This will decrease the number of hospital visits, and healthcare facilities will be attended by critically-ill individuals.
Increase in Costs and Uninsured Patients
An increase in costs will dwarf the enhancement of medical procedures. For example, Braithwaite et al. expound that an analysis conducted recently about atherosclerosis proved that the medicine saved no money because people prefer taking expensive drugs in their lifetime (828). On the other hand, the rising costs would prompt employers and payers in the private sector to reduce medical coverage and increase the burden on employees. The increase in premiums will adversely affect workers, making them unable to pay for health coverage, increasing the uninsured ranks (Braithwaite et al. 829). This will result in rising care costs, which will shift to private insurers and the American government.
Innovation Opportunities and Less Pay for Clinicians
The competition among healthcare providers will be less based on clinicians’ best outcomes and concentrate on their innovation ability. As a result, Braithwaite et al. state physicians will strive to implement the best care delivery plans and develop new methods for ill people with uncommon illnesses (830). This will be caused by more regularized patient care and processes. On the other hand, all payers, whether private insurers or the government pay clinicians almost the same amount (Braithwaite et al. 831). The rise in costs will prompt the employers to increase and reduce the salaries of some providers. This is because priorities will be given to the facilities’ administrative costs and payment for devices and essential services. Therefore, clinicians will be offered what is left unless new approaches are established to demonstrate a market share increase.
Conclusion
In summary, the healthcare situation will become critical for Americans in the next ten years. Employers’ costs will rise, and many individuals will desire to quit the industry. The percentage of uninsured individuals will increase and widen the gap between what is available and that which can be afforded. Additionally, people who are not insured will extend into the middle class and collaborate with their employers to vote for adjustments in the healthcare sector.
Work Cited
Braithwaite, Jeffrey, et al. “The future of health systems to 2030: A roadmap for global progress and sustainability.” International Journal for Quality in Health Care, vol. 30, no.10, 2018, pp. 823-831. Web.