Health Care Evolution
The health care industry through its professionals provides medical goods and services to treat the suffering or needful in the society. The chief or major intentions of the health care industry are to cure as well as prevent illnesses and other related conditions. It is an industry that boosts the economy of most of the developed and developing countries considering that it is an industry that keeps growing exponentially (Arrow, 2003).
In the last decade, the health care industry has had a few major changes. The first is that the knowledge and skills have changed and become much more high-tech, this being in both the medical knowledge and the machinery used in the hospitals. There have also been medical breakthroughs and discoveries which has meant that the professionals already practicing medicine have to keep updating themselves with what is latest or otherwise be overtaken by their colleagues who are now coming into the field with the new skills already learned. As much as this is a good thing for the consumer, its downside is that since new technology is always round the corner, the medics are always trying to learn something new and something more cutting edge that half the time the consumer will be left with no one to attend to them (Williams, 2007).
Costs in the Medical industry have also seen great changes in the last ten years. The cost of acquiring the skills needed is high compared to most other courses taken in the learning institutions. The cost of getting the products and services has also increased tremendously which has had great effects on third world countries as it has seen them start depending on donors and Non Governmental organizations for the commodity (Arrow, 2003).
The Internet has been another great change in the Medical industry as it has become a tool for providing and managing healthcare issues. You can now have a consultation online as well as a prescription. If you need specialized care or have a condition that is proving difficult to treat, you can now search online for a specialist and get the necessary treatment. This has been a plus for the industry as the internet has helped with awareness and the creation of jobs where there is an excess of skilled labor. So the hospitals can reach wider and further as the hospital is no longer the building but the service provided.
Homecare has also grown with many opting to be treated from the comfort of their homes. This has also seen homebirths grow as now the caregivers are more open to making house calls. This has been due to the younger generation coming with new ideas breaking down the barriers in the industry and giving room for changes and technology to come into play to ease the task of service delivery.
Future Changes in the Healthcare industry
There will have to be revision and upgrade in the medical studies as new methods and other major discoveries unravel. We will see wider use of computers in the medical and surgical fields. This will be aimed at giving more specialized care to patients. The use of Information Technology will then see the professions in this field sharing information which will help them in gaining the best experience they can as they can learn from each other and through others’ mistakes (Williams, 2007).
We could see the formation of specialized hospitals where they will focus on specific diseases which will aid in providing specialized care to a great number of people suffering from related illnesses which will, in turn, bring about breakthroughs and cut costs both for the patients and the hospitals greatly. Some of the specialized institutions that have been established include health care centers dealing with Heart diseases, skin disorders among many more others.
My Role
I want to be actively involved in this industry, working mostly for one of the major hospitals or a Nongovernmental organization in the position of an Executive administrator. Providing support in public relations by coordinating day-to-day activities and implementing the strategies and operations that should be in place. I also want to have a hand in the decision-making in matters of personnel and finance. Having a team of juniors under me to overlook the admissions and human resources department will allow me to delegate effectively to ensure the smooth running of the hospital affairs and allow me to assess the different needs for different departments in the institution effectively. This in turn will ensure that the reports I give to my seniors are satisfactory.
Role of Technology in Healthcare
Technology can improve the efficiency and quality of medical products and services as medics will be able to share information and also access new information readily. Patients as well will be in a position to access any kind of information regarding their ailments which will make people more enlightened on how to better manage them and will also make them demand for quality and proper treatment as they will have at least a basic idea of what to expect. The downside of technology though is that providers may be so fixated on providing the service that they may overlook the quality as some may be looking more at the rewards in terms of payment than providing care for the masses (Grossman, 2002).
Economic and Financial Issues
Due to the economic shrinkage, unemployment will go up and this will see fewer people having health insurance. This is a blow to the patients as most rely on these covers to get treatment for their families. This will further be affected by the rising cost of living which has seen the cost of medical care rise as well (Arrow, 2003). It will have a greater impact on 3rd world countries as this will mean that they will have to do with generics as the cost of medicine and treatment will be too high. This could see people self-treating and self-prescribing which could have catastrophic effects in the event of any mistake. In conclusion, the medical industry will only grow bigger and bigger as new diseases and conditions occur daily. There will always be room for growth and for the people to make it happen.
References
Arrow, K. (2003). Uncertainty and the welfare economics of medical care. McGraw-Hill.
Grossman, M. (2002). On the Concept of Health Capital and the Demand for Health. Macmillan.
Williams, A. (2007). Health economics: the cheerful face of a dismal science. , London: Macmillan.