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Despite the breathtaking pace of medical innovation in the US today, and for all the untold thousands of lives saved and made better by healthcare in America each and every day, there’s still no question that significant problems persist. Even though the US spends the most money on healthcare per capita of any industrialized nation, the $3.5 trillion system still ranks dead last when it comes to key performance metrics, such as overall patient outcomes, infant mortality, and cancer and cardiovascular disease. Change is desperately needed, and it’s coming. But what are those changes, and will they be enough?
The Advent of Telemedicine
One of the most exciting trends in medicine today is the emergence of telemedicine. With telemedicine, patients can have instant access to a range of healthcare providers, all from the comfort of their own homes. This easy access to your caregiver is not only terrific for the elderly and the disabled who may have trouble traveling to appointments, but it’s also a tremendous resource for busy, working adults. Especially if you are a parent trying to juggle work and home responsibilities, having 24/7 access to your child’s healthcare team can be enormously beneficial. After all, a virtual consultation with your child’s doctor is often far preferable to waiting for hours with a sick child in a doctor’s office crowded with other sick children.
The Rise of AI and Big Data
In conjunction with the growing trend of telemedicine in the US has come the development of a host of AI (artificial intelligence) technologies designed to monitor and document patients’ health, as well as aid in both diagnosis and treatment.
Remote AI technologies are increasingly being used to provide continuous monitoring of patients’ vital signs, for example. These technologies can not only track a patient’s vitals over time and send regular updates to the patient’s care providers, but they can also alert patients, family, caregivers, and even first responders of potentially life-threatening changes, such as significant changes in blood pressure or heart rate.
In addition, big data in healthcare gives physicians instant access to a virtually limitless quantity of health data. This can not only speed diagnosis and make diagnoses more accurate, but it can also help healthcare providers make informed, evidence-based decisions about the best treatment plan for individual patients.
Patient Self-Advocacy
It’s not only the healthcare system itself that’s benefitting from technological advancements like AI and Big Data, however. The information technology age means that patients today are more informed than ever before. This also means that patients are willing and able to advocate for themselves and their families.
Thanks to growing demands for transparency in the costs of healthcare, patients can now even compare prices on virtually all aspects of healthcare, from the costs of particular medications, treatments, procedures, and hospitalizations to determine which pharmacies and care systems are most cost-efficient. This also gives patients and caregivers the tools they need to negotiate for better rates or alternative treatment plans.
Apps and Wearable Tech
More Americans are going online to learn about their health, the care they receive, and the options they have. Not only that, but they’re also turning to health apps and wearable tech to keep watch for themselves over their own health.
Every day, new health apps are appearing that are not only highly accurate but also affordable and easy-to-use. You can now download apps to monitor the quality of your sleep and track your diet. Wearable devices to monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and activity levels are almost as common as earbuds and iPods today. You can even connect a personal EKG device to your iPhone and track your blood alcohol level online.
Consolidation and Value-Driven Care
Although the trends in health technology and patient self-advocacy show exceptional promise for the future of healthcare, some trends are less hopeful. In an effort to contain skyrocketing costs, healthcare systems are increasingly looking to consolidate, while insurers, including the federal Medicare and Medicaid systems, are turning to value-driven medicine. This means that patients may have fewer choices when it comes to healthcare providers, and health practitioners may have less freedom in developing individual treatment plans.
The Takeaway
Healthcare in the United States is changing. In many ways, these emerging trends hold immense promise, as evolving technologies are almost certain to enhance relationships between patients, families, and healthcare providers. The advent of AI, big data, and telemedicine will dramatically improve diagnosis and treatment, while an increasingly informed and empowered patient demographic will enhance care, improve health, and reduce costs.
On the other hand, however, some changes do not appear to be as beneficial to patients. Efforts to cut costs system-wide may limit patients’ choices in services and service providers, while constraining practitioners in the kind of care they provide. In the end, healthcare trends reveal a paradox, a battle between patient-centered care and the pressure on care providers to cut costs.
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