How the Healthcare Industry is Evolving and Why It’s Important to Keep Up
In our rapidly changing world, health care is experiencing an especially accelerated transformation. From technological advances in patient care and administration to revolutionary approaches for addressing complex health issues, the field is constantly evolving. Keeping up with the trends can be challenging but doing so is vitally important for health care professionals to remain effective in their work. Here is a round-up of some of the areas in which innovation is taking place.
Paperless Patient Records
Innovative solutions are addressing the age-old problem of maintaining proper documentation in an efficient and highly confidential manner. Reams and reams of paper have traditionally been needed in order to maintain the appropriate documents in a medical setting but, fortunately, there are customizable healthcare document management systems to meet every need. Moving to electronic records frees up time and resources, allowing staff to focus on patients rather than paper. Digital solutions offer greater security and streamlined workflow across departments. And, of course, using less paper is more environmentally friendly.
Technological Breakthroughs
Technology is also transforming the way health care is delivered. The heart of medicine will always be the compassion and knowledge of the care provider, but new technologies are making it possible to deliver highly personalized treatments. Advances in artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and wearable sensors will continue to supplement human skills to provide ever more sophisticated and targeted interventions. Used to enhance the empathy, skills, and intuition of the human practitioner, these smart technologies have the potential to transform the medical field by providing a wealth of data that can lead to improved diagnosis and treatment plans.
Coordinated Care
As health care becomes more advanced, keeping up with all the options becomes more complicated for the patient. The concept of care coordination is becoming increasingly popular, not only in the health care facility itself but also in the larger community. One of the best models involves the use of navigators or community health workers. These professionals assist patients in accessing appropriate care. They can help find resources, schedule appointments, and find answers to questions. In some cases, they may visit patients in their home settings to assess needs or follow up on missed appointments.
Patient Empowerment
Closely related to the increased focus on coordinated care is the recognition of the importance of putting the patient at the center of all decision-making. As the medical field becomes both more sophisticated and more personalized, it is all the more important to listen to the voice of the patient. Health care professionals are increasingly aware of the fact that, while they may be very knowledgeable in their field, patients are the true experts in their own lives.
Beyond the individual patient-provider relationship, health care systems are also broadening their understanding of the need to utilize advisory councils, made up of patients and their family members, to design processes that truly meet the community’s needs.
Social Determinants of Health
Another emerging trend in the evolution of healthcare is the growing recognition that individuals’ health is greatly affected by the environments in which they live and work. While medical care is obviously important in treating disease, its influence on outcomes is greatly outweighed by other factors in the patient’s life. Socioeconomic conditions, exposure to pollutants, and social support systems are examples of variables that can play an enormous role in determining an individual’s overall health as well as their response to specific treatments. Increasingly, patient evaluations include not only blood pressure and temperature checks but also a survey of factors such as exposure to crime and access to healthy food.
It is an exciting time in the medical field. With rapid advances in both technical and social aspects of health care delivery, providers today have access to powerful tools that allow them to provide incredibly precise and personalized treatment in an efficient and streamlined manner. Keeping up with the constantly evolving options can be challenging but will result in better outcomes for both patient and practitioner.
