The aging population of the baby boomers and chronic diseases has increased the need of health care services. The baby boomer effect describes any person who was born between 1946 and 1964(Gott & others, 2011). Most of the ageing health care personnel such as physicians, nurses and pharmacists belong to the baby boomers demographics in the United States. Also, the looming labor shortage is facing the healthcare industry in the coming years especially nurses, physicians and pharmacists. For example, the nursing profession is facing the biggest challenge of retaining young employees. Furthermore, it is estimated that more than fifty-five percent of professional nurses are planning to retire by 2020 (Josephson, 2008). Moreover, the professional nurses are used efficiently as the number of the aging population is growing. Despite the ageing population of baby boomers, other factors have contributed to the decrease of professional nurses such as lack of motivation from the management and quality of care system issues. Therefore, the role of modern technology would address the effect of baby boomers and their coming of age as well as health care shortage.
. In the United States, baby boomers comprise the highest demographics of the ageing. Many baby boomers are getting aged and have started developing age related health problems. The aging population of the baby boomers in the United States of America has increased demand for trained professional in all areas of health care (Gott &others, 2011). The need for physicians is expected to increase with the aging of the people. For example, the decline of geriatric specialization may create an imbalance between the people and the training of the physicians giving care. Unfortunately, the physician assistants have not attained the full potential in the treatment of the aging baby boomer generation.
The shortage of the workforce is a challenge to the health care to meet the baby boomer health needs. For example, the nursing is caused by increased demand as well as nurses are baby boomers. Also, there are few people entering the profession compared to the aging nursing workforce. Further, the demand of physicians is also required to increase as baby boomers age. For example, a gap of more than 100.000 specialists is predicted by 2020 (Josephson, 2008).
In the United States, there is an increased enrolled to the pharmacy training colleges. However, it is uncertain whether the number will be sufficient to ensure the adequate supply of professional pharmacists in the future. The shortage would affect the aging baby boomer generation due to their higher use of prescription medication and the associated greater risk from the medications.
The ageing demographics have a significant impact on the delivery of healthcare. For example, chronic illnesses and increased shortage of health care workers. First, the ageing baby boomer demographic will need attention of chronic diseases such as osteoporosis and heart disease (Josephson, 2008). Most of these diseases require an ongoing management rather than curing them. Further, the doctors and patients will require having an ongoing relationship to assist the patients cope with the disease. Moreover, these chronic diseases are associated with the disabilities that need long term care services such as personal and nursing homes.
Secondly, the increasing concern about the current and future supply of both acute and long term health care workers. For example, acute care services for aged people, especially hospital is financed through public and private sources. Further, financing of the hospitals and other services is through a paid tax of approximately 2.9% (Shortlife & others, 2006). On the other hand, financing for the physicians and other services is through premiums given by the beneficiaries and general revenues.
In the United States, the ageing demographics of the baby boomer population will impose a financial burden on the public sector especially for health and long term care. For example, United State spends more on medical care than any other country in the World. This is because the American insurance funds provide higher prices that mean each additional older person requires higher expenditure.
Technology is improving every day and new developments are continuously evolving our lives. In healthcare, the technological advance will increase the healthcare choices available to the boomers and physicians. The baby boomers are expected to be the largest group of patients suffering chronic conditions. Therefore, with advances in technology baby boomer will benefit from new medicines, monitoring equipment, new drug delivery systems and innovations in surgical techniques. Also, technology can be utilized for remote health care delivery. For example, baby boomer will monitor their conditions and communicate with their physicians from home.
First, has made patient health care safer and more reliable than before. For example, remote monitoring will help aging baby boomers out of the hospital. Also, technology will enable communication between health care providers and patients. Further, many institutions are adopting the electronic health record (EHR) system that will provide patients easy access to their information. Also, the electronic medical system allows interdisciplinary data integration that promotes data consistency. In addition, the electronic databases provide information that can be used for medical research to better understand the prognosis and causes of chronic diseases.
Secondly, information technology has enabled doctors to practice telemedicine. Also, doctors now can consult experts across the globe on how to do diagnosis and research conditions without accessing the hospital facility. Moreover, devices allow continuous of the patient condition without stress. For example, monitor devices will detect unusual health patterns and alert health care providers. Therefore, technology can be used improve efficiencies in the clinical systems, through information sharing and freeing up of nurses to improve coordination and safe quality care.
Thirdly, the information on the online databases available can be used accurately to predict the epidemiology of medical problems. Also, it helps the experts to take the preventative measures in response to the outbreaks. Finally, technology has led to the development of machines, medicines and treatments that can save lives and improve the recovery of many baby boomers (Kabene, 2011). Further, new technology is associated with the development of sophisticated medical practices and improved research so that experts can make healthcare more effective. For example, technology can change the life of the patient of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In conclusion, the baby boomers generation has the highest ageing demographics in the United States. Also, the baby boomers are expected to be the largest group of patients suffering chronic conditions. Further, the ageing demographics of the baby boomer population have imposed a financial burden on the public sector especially for health and long term care. In addition, ageing demographics has led to a shortage of health care personnel especially physicians, nurses and pharmacists. Therefore, adoption of technology provides a new face in the provision of health care. The baby boomers will benefit from new medicines, monitoring equipment, new drug delivery systems and innovations in surgical techniques.
References
Gott, M., & Ingleton, C. (2011). Living with ageing and dying: Palliative and end of life care for older people. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Josephson, M. C. (2008). Recovering meaning: What is the experience of becoming an elder in the 21st century?
Jong, J., & Jong, J. DE. (2013). The problem: high burden on the health system?.
Kabene, S. M. (2011). Human resources in healthcare, health informatics and healthcare systems. Hershey, PA: Medical Information Science Reference.
Roche-Tarry, D., & Roche-Lebrec, D. (2011). What's next? How professionals are refusing retirement. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Shortliffe, E. H., & Cimino, J. J. (2006). Biomedical informatics: Computer applications in health care and biomedicine. New York, NY: Springer.
Shortliffe, E. H. (2001). Medical informatics: Computer applications in health care and biomedicine. New York: Springer.
