The Changes in Healthcare Industry - Research Paper Example

The Changes in Health Care Industry Introduction The extensive change in the health care industry can be understood by dissecting the situation of the industry in the previous decades and the present position of the industry. It is no doubt that the health care industry has undergone tremendous changes from early decades to present and is bound to experience more changes in the coming years. Understanding the present developments in the health care industry against the past is essential in forecasting the likely advancements and challenges likely to be experienced by the industry in the next ten years and beyond. This paper explores the changes that the health care industry has experienced in the last decade and also assesses possible challenges the industry is likely to face in the next ten years. How Health Care Has Changed Over the Last Ten Years It is no secret that the health care industry has undergone through extensive change in the previous decade. The health care industry has in the last ten years experienced numerous ups and downs. The life expectancy of individuals has increased amazing compared to that in 1980s. There have been numerous medical breakthroughs both in terms of health equipment and drugs. The advancement in technology has seen health care delivery services become better each year, increasing the overall efficiency in the health care industry. The health care industry has grown from less efficient to efficient industry through technological innovations. Computers have resulted into massive reduction in medical errors. Health records are now processed and stored in electronic form eliminating massive paperwork and minimizing possible errors altogether. Competition has also heightened in the last decade pushing health care providers to fine-tune the services they offer to clients (Ginsburg, 2005). However, the industry has not been without its downs. The cost of health care has escalated over the years. It is now more expensive to obtain quality health care than it was ten years ago. The increasing number of uninsured indicates how expensive health care has become. Health care has become evidently unaffordable to many people over the last decade. Nonetheless, the government has been doing its best to curb this undesirable scenario. For instance, Obama care, though faced with numerous challenges, is aimed at making health care affordable to all people. The Biggest Possible Change in Health Care in the Next 10 Years Health care industry is likely to experience numerous changes in the next decade. Of all the likely changes, improvement in technology stands to be the biggest change in the next ten years. The advancement in technology has been on the positive side and the health care industry is likely to benefit from this in the next decade. There is likelihood of improved information technology as well as new innovations in hospital equipment, treatment methods and medicine. The next ten years are likely to be marked with more technology and information (Garson & Levin, 2001). Planned Role in the Industry The planned future role in the industry is Health Care Case Management. With increasing health challenges in the country, health industry will undoubtedly be in dire need of case managers to assist individuals as well as families to deal with complex health issues effectively in order to ensure high life standards. Adapting the Skills to Evolve Along With the Industry’s Needs Case managers usually emanate from various professional backgrounds in the medical arena. A case manager must be in a position to understand how to best work with people or families in maneuvering complex health care service systems. In order to adapt the skills to evolve together with growing needs of the health care industry, it is imperative to undergo some training. Case mangers need to train on how help individuals manage their distinct social networks. They should be ready all the time to provide care services to clients. Therefore, regular training to equip with emerging issues in the health care industry remains a crucial way of ensuring the skills of a care case manager matches the growing needs of the industry. Changed Perception of Health Care over the Course of the Program Prior to the program, health care industry seemed more like an industry that has lost direction because of numerous challenges that it faces. However, pursuing the program has completely changed the perception. The program has actually brought to the surface numerous advancements that have occurred in the industry and how they have positively influenced efficiency in service delivery in the industry. In particular, the development in technology used in the health care industry has restored confidence and illuminates a bright future for the industry. The program has been fundamental in changing the perception of the industry and brought optimism for more developments in the future. The Role of Technology in Health Care Organizations in the Coming Decade The success of the health care industry in the next decade depends highly on technology improvement. Technology plays a pivotal role in disseminating crucial health information. As such, improvement in technology will ensure efficient health communication in the next ten years. The availability of relevant health information will ensure that organizations make wise decisions concerning health care service provision and their overall actions. Further, technological advancement will ensure that health care organizations are furnished with the most recent equipments that can allow treatment of sophisticated health conditions. Technology will also play a significant role in medicine development in ten years to come. The advent of sophisticated innovations will ensure the discovery and manufacture of more effective drugs to counter emerging complex health issues. Also, record keeping in the industry is likely to be entirely electronic eliminating erroneous paperwork (Wager, Lee & Glaser, 2013). Generally, technology will result into an efficient health care service delivery in the next ten years. Financial and Economic Issues That Will Affect the Health Care Industry in the Next 10 Years Increasing health care cost is been a major problem in delivering health care services. “The share of the total economy consumed by health care services is large and growing” (Finkler, Kovner & Jones, 2007, p. 10).The spending on health care by the government has been on the rise over the years and is forecasted to increase even more in the coming years. According to NCSL (2014), “this spending grew at a rate of 3.7 percent in 2012 to $2.8 trillion” (NCSL 2014, Para 2). Good economic performance in future will lead to increased financial allocation to health care industry. On the other hand, poor economy riddled with financial crunch is likely to impact the industry negatively. Conclusion The health care industry has undergone a lot of changes in the last decade. There have been positive and negative experiences in the industry for the last ten years. Despite the existence of numerous challenges, technological advancement has taken the industry to the next level. Together with favorable legislation, technology is likely to have the biggest impact on the industry in the next decade. References Finkler, S.A., Kovner, C.T. & Jones, C.B. (2007). Financial management for nurse managers and executives. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier. Garson, A. & Levin, S.A. (2001). Ten 10-Year Trends for the Future of Healthcare: Implications for Academic Health Centers. Ochsner Journal, 3(1): 10–15. Ginsburg, P.B. (2005). Competition In Health Care: Its Evolution Over The Past Decade. Health Affairs, 24(6): 1512-1522. NCSL (2014). Health Finance Issues. Retrieved on February 23, 2014 from http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/health-finance-issues.aspx Wager, K.A., Lee, F.W. & Glaser, J.P. (2013).Health care information systems: a practical approach for health care management. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Read More