Here is my post for the discussion:
Future Macro-Trends in the U.S. Healthcare System
The Healthcare sector is undergoing significant change as the development and delivery of much-needed medicine has been revolutionized by digital solutions. This has, in turn, resulted in improved delivery, manufacturing, development, as well as the quality, efficiency, and speed of discovery (Robert, 2021). The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has also resulted in unprecedented disruption of all facets of the healthcare sector, and this has promoted the increased innovation in the sector to resolve the crisis and generate future growth. Healthcare technology has proven to be a key aspect worth considering as it has played a major role in revolutionizing healthcare and will likely influence the macro-trends the sector will experience in years to come.
Telehealth is an example of a macro-trend that will likely affect the healthcare sector for the next decade or so. The healthcare industry is known to be quite resistant to the adoption of digital technology and IT (Schroder-Smith, 2021). However, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has helped reveal the convenience, efficiency, real-world functionality, and potential of telehealth technologies. Telehealth can act as a vital tool to help minimize the spread of viruses through tracking, testing, and treating (Schroder-Smith, 2021). Telehealth has proven to be a more beneficial approach compared to in-person alternatives as it minimizes contacts between patients, care providers, and other patients.
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also an example of a macro-trend that will influence the U.S. healthcare system for the years to come. Today, AI plays a critical role in the fight again Covid-19, as it has proven beneficial in the analysis of CT scans, thermal screening, vaccine development, and pandemic detection (Schroder-Smith, 2021). Therefore, AI can also be utilized in improving patient outcomes.
Also, the technological advancement in the healthcare system will result in the increased need for new digital skills. In the near future, product managers, software engineers and developers, and data scientists will play a critical role in healthcare when it comes to discovering more innovative and practical solutions (Robert, 2021). This is considering that healthcare technology will help improve patient outcomes by changing the practice of medicine through the discovery of crucial scientific innovations and breakthroughs.
Indeed, technology has played a key role in revolutionizing the healthcare system in the U.S. and will continue to do so in the coming years. Health technology has proven beneficial in changing healthcare for the better through promoting the achievements of key objectives, such as improved patient outcomes and decrease in health-related costs. Therefore, innovations such as telehealth and artificial intelligence will continue being macro-trends that will have significant impact on the U.S. healthcare system.
References
Robert, A, (2021): Future Macro-Trends in the U.S. Healthcare System. Euronews. Retrieved
from: https://www.euronews.com/next/2021/06/17/trends-and-innovations-in-healthcare-the-future-will-require-new-digital-skills
Schroder-Smith, P. (2021): Five top technology trends from 2021 that are here to stay. Ericsson.
Retrieved from: https://www.ericsson.com/en/blog/2021/6/technology-trends-2021-here-to-stay
Discussion question:
Within healthcare, technology advances have been incorporated as the inventions have been authenticated and proven safe to use. Do you think that the safety measures are better today than 20 years ago? Why or why not?
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