With an aging population of baby boomers, America’s healthcare is growing exponentially as an industry. This won’t be stopping any time soon, of course, and there are great new technologies making it possible to continue medical care during a pandemic.
Emerging Healthcare Technologies
There are so many exciting things happening in medicine to facilitate care of patients during this pandemic. Telehealth, in particular, was timely in order to provide medical care for small needs, such as colds and other illnesses which do not need blood work. Therapists and psychiatrists can go ahead with much needed treatments. This new technology will not be going away after the pandemic is ended, and will facilitate a great deal of health options, especially for homebound or rural patients.
Increasing Costs
Most medical consumers can expect to have a surprise medical bill at some point in their lives in the United States. Unlike most developed nations, US medical care is built upon a business model of insurance, and exponential medical costs are not unlikely. More than 90% of consumers receive a surprise medical bill. Thankfully, lawmakers are beginning to receive the consumer pressure needed to repair the ACA and other systems which will hopefully stabilize such billing disasters. Make sure to encourage this.
Genomic Sequencing
The immeasurable capability to sequence the human genome is causing a ruckus in medical technology. Being able to have your genes studied to determine what is causing, or could cause in the future, major medical problems is nothing short of miraculous. From being able to find future risk of breast cancer, to determining if it’s necessary to have colonoscopies more often than the average, it’s a wonderful new tool.
Electronic Healthcare Records
In a data analytics driven world, one of the best trends for patients is that electronic healthcare records are more prevalent now than ever before. This means your personal records are available to more of your doctors, so that no forgotten medication, or misplaced diagnosis can confuse your specialists. This helps make sure that your care is standardized, but also helps you make sure if you have an acute emergency, hospitals have access to records.
The future of healthcare technology is bright! With so many developments, there are many more options for excising illness and preventative measures. The US system of insurance is flawed, but fixable. With bipartisan support, future tech is bright, and promising in this new decade!
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