April 15, 2020 The Healthcare Industry

How the healthcare industry is evolving to meet growing demand.

In recent years, the healthcare industry has been forced to evolve to meet growing demands within the sector. While the rapidly aging American population fuels many of these demands, healthcare also faces a highly competitive environment as well as many demands from insurance companies that are trying to limit costs. As technology and research continue to shape the way that medical practitioners treat their patients, here are just five of the most obvious ways that the overall industry is changing.

Expanded Access to Telehealth Options

Telehealth is growing across the United States as doctors look for better ways to reach patients living in rural areas. Another benefit of telehealth is that patients can be seen faster than they once could while not having to pay as much as they would for in-person appointments. Today, most Americans have the technology in their homes that give them telehealth access. However, even traditional corded telephones can give them access to their doctors for certain concerns.

Expanded Payment Options for Patients

Affording healthcare has long been a problem for numerous patients. Paying with cash or a check was often required for patients who did not have health insurance or whose insurance did not cover everything. Today, many more payment options exist, including credit cards dedicated to covering only healthcare costs. In addition, many healthcare systems are now using a patient financing company to expand payment options to individuals who prefer to make affordable monthly payments.

Improved Focus on the Patient Rather than Symptoms

For decades, physicians have responded more to patient symptoms than they have to the patient as a whole. This has occasionally led to misdiagnosis or poor treatments as the root of the health problem was never identified. The use of personalized medicine not only leads to better patient satisfaction but also to improved health diagnoses, especially for chronic illnesses. Patients want to feel as if their providers know who they are, truly care about their needs and are communicating with them well.

Improved Dependance on AI and Similar Technologies

While telehealth is growing, other forms of technology are also poised to take over the healthcare sector, giving physicians more time to spend with their patients and providing patients with better outcomes as patient care is prioritized. Artificial intelligence and similar technologies automate many of the tasks that medical providers must do every day while creating great continuity of care between providers and health plans.

Increased Ambulatory Care Options for Cost Savings and Speed

Health insurance companies have long pushed for increased outpatient and ambulatory care for non-emergent needs to decrease health costs. This also leads to great costs savings for consumers as they will pay less for insurance premiums as well as for copays and coinsurance. However, ambulatory care also speeds up the healthcare process by putting patients face-to-face with doctors in less time and getting them quickly back on their feet following invasive procedures.

Today’s consumers demand much more from the healthcare sector than they ever did in previous decades. They expect practitioners to listen to them and to treat them as whole individuals rather than as lists of symptoms. They also expect healthcare to be affordable and to be provided quickly and on their own terms. As one of the most vibrant sectors in America, healthcare will continue to evolve and improve itself as it grows in the future.

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