Exclusive article by Lindsey Patterson at EMRIndustry.com
The history of human civilization is full of technological breakthroughs that changed the way people live. The last such breakthrough to have such a massive impact was the advent of the internet. However, a new wave of change brought on by technology will soon be upon us that could even surpass the impact of the internet. That of course is the introduction of automated cars.
Automated cars that drive without the steering of human beings will change how people live and work. It is sure to have a huge influence on nearly all facets of society. One such area it will surely cause significant change is healthcare. Below are just a few of the possibilities automated cars could have for the medical world.
There Will Be Fewer Deaths and Injuries
Cars are a very significant source of injury and death in almost every health care system on the planet. 10,265 people died in crashes involving drunk drivers in 2015. However, drunk driving is not possible with a driverless car. The computer drives the car for you. So that number is likely to be zero in the future.
In fact, it may be close to approaching zero for auto accidents overall. Fatalities from car accidents could drop by as much as 90 percent. This will be a sea change for the healthcare industry. Less people will die. Less people will also be disabled due to auto accidents. Such disabilities put a large strain on the healthcare system. This strain is likely to be partly removed thanks to the fact that human error will be taken out of the process of riding in a car.
The Healthcare Industry Could Lose Money
Despite this news sounding wholly positive on its face, the fact that there will be far less roadside injuries will also make the healthcare provider for profit business model take a significant financial hit in one obvious way. With fewer injuries, patients will spend less time in the hospital and require less medical care and treatment. The healthcare industry could lose $500 billion as a result.
However, perhaps that expense will be offset a bit by the people who survive car accidents that go on to receive lifelong medical care afterwards for other ailments. Whatever the case, there will be a huge financial impact from the fact that one of the major sources of death and injury could be removed almost entirely.
Insurance Will Change
One healthcare related industry will change irreversibly due to the introduction of automated cars. Car insurance, as it exists now, functions under the assumption that human beings, the drivers of cars, are responsible for auto accidents occurring. However, automated cars won’t have drivers at all. Instead, they will have passengers. The failure of the technology will alone be responsible for any car crashes that happen. With that in mind, it becomes a question of product liability for an injury lawyer.
The insurance industry will have to adjust significantly in response. In this case, the insurance for cars may actually instead be held by the car manufacturer that will pay for the medical expense of those injured in crashes. Private car insurance, on the other hand, may stop existing as an insurance product entirely. In fact, it’s already forecasted to take a significant hit. While insurers may adjust, it’s quite likely car insurance as we know it now as an insurance product will not exist in 20 years time.
The driverless automated car is certain to be one of the most significant technological breakthroughs of the past 50 years. It will change how people live across the planet. It will also cause significant change for many industries. This will certainly be the case for healthcare in many different ways, some of which may be completely unforeseen.
