What’s Changing In Healthcare + What To Expect In The Coming Years

Like many industries, healthcare continues to change and evolve as time goes on. With new technology, laws, and consumer demands, the industry has no choice but to move with the ebb and flow, or else be crumbled to dust by the onslaught of the future. There’s no stopping the technological march into the unknown, but how much we trust that technology can remarkably change the way we live and view our healthcare and patient rights.

In the coming years, healthcare will change dramatically. Between new technology and new laws, we’ve already seen some massive changes. COVID-19 has brought into sharp focus the glaring problems with our current system, and we can only hope that this pandemic has a positive effect in that it helps us rework the system to better serve the patient.

Here are some ways healthcare will change, and what to expect as we move forward.

What’s Changing

So, what is changing as of this year? What kinds of things are we seeing as we close out 2020, still in the vice-grip of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Technology

Of course, the one thing we can always expect to change is technology. We’re always looking for the next update, the next best thing, the next improvement over our current technology. In that search for knowledge, we’ve created some very helpful tech and some very dangerous tech.

The healthcare industry utilizes technology for everything from basic surgeries to data storage and even predictions for the industry itself. AI is finding its way into everything, and soon, AI will play a more important role in the healthcare industry. It can be used to diagnose illnesses, reduce errors, check symptoms, and so much more. The unprecedented rise of AI across the globe will likely signal a new era of competition and automation across all industries, including healthcare. Hospitals and pharmacies are beginning to use AI-powered software to ensure patients receive the correct prescription and dosage at the right time. These systems can track inventory, monitor drug interactions, and suggest alternative treatments. As the demand for accuracy and efficiency continues to rise in the healthcare industry, more facilities will likely need a tablet counter and other AI technologies to improve patient care.

Patient Experience

The patient experience has changed dramatically in the last year alone. Telemedicine has become a staple of medical care, but not just because of the pandemic. Telemedicine makes seeing a doctor easier, more convenient, and more accessible for those who don’t have access to transportation or otherwise have difficulty going to the office.

Let’s not forget that we’re dealing with the most informed generation to date, which means that patients will expect more from their healthcare providers. They don’t want the red tape and bureaucracy that normally accompanies the healthcare industry. Transparency, convenience, and honesty will be the new requirements.

Health Insurance

Unfortunately for us, health insurance has largely become more of a political battle than a patient-driven battle for better coverage. Under the Affordable Care Act, the government has offered subsidies for those who can’t afford their coverage. This granted health coverage access to millions of Americans who didn’t have coverage, but it’s a constantly shifting landscape.

Some are working to undo the ACA, others are looking to expand it. It’s only a matter of time before we see some major changes to our health coverage and the way policies are written and presented to the patient.

Training

Medical training has also evolved over the years. Now, you can find programs for things like administrative assistant training and surgical technology training entirely online; making training and education more accessible and flexible than ever.

What To Expect

With so many changes to the industry as a whole, what can we expect as we move into the future?

Value-Based Care

We hope to see a shift towards more value-based care as the data continues to support such a move. Value-based care essentially means paying providers for the level of care they give to their patients. If they’re improving patients’ lives and helping them get better, they’ll get paid more. This is designed to help improve the consistency, affordability, and quality of care all-around.

Better Privacy Protection

Even with laws like HIPAA in place, there’s still some concern for patient privacy. Whether due to breaches in security or the poor handling of patient data, there are still far too many compromised records each year. We should expect to see a greater focus on protecting the data of patients and keeping medical info as private as possible.

Data breach usually happens if the wrong person gets hold of the patient’s information and is not knowledgeable enough about HIPAA compliance. This law protects the privacy of a patient’s health records. Once an establishment uses a HIPAA compliant cloud faxing service, they can ensure that all data is secure and protected. Cloud faxing services often have advanced security features such as encryption and audit trails that help to prevent unauthorized access to the system and the sensitive data that is stored within it. The added security layer helps minimize the risk of a data breach occurring within the system.

Greater Transparency (Hopefully)

More than anything else, patients just want transparency. The language of health coverage and healthcare, in general, is confusing most of the time; and often, patients don’t actually know what their coverage means or what kind of care they’re receiving. That’s simply unacceptable. Luckily, we live in a world of abundant information, and people are starting to catch on to these discrepancies and demand greater transparency. We can expect to see many changes coming our way in the next decade—but first, we need to make it through the pandemic! Remember to follow guidelines whenever possible to keep you and other people safe. For more information on the virus and precautions, go here.