For generations, the US government has incurred unsustainable spending on a poorly coordinated healthcare system. The rising cost in medical care and the poor quality of service were the major concerns among patients and health care professionals. With the increasing ageing population and chronic diseases with costly treatments and technologies, combined with the increasing consumption of consumer goods associated by the mandate of globalization, the healthcare system is in critical phase in which a major transformation is essential. In 2010, the health care reform bill which is the Affordable Care Act enforced fundamental changes in the healthcare system with a major focus for improved quality care and cost-effectiveness. The reform also addresses the development of a new pattern of healthcare delivery system and how to enforce them.
The recommended paradigm involves the use of information technology and systems engineering where the Internet becomes a vital health care tool. Some of the recent changes that were now being practiced was the electronic prescribing where patient’s medical history and drug prescriptions are electronically transmitted to the pharmacy which also includes drug interaction and allergy checks. Patients are free from the hassles of visiting clinics and hospitals because doctors can now communicate with their patients, administer drug prescriptions or remind patients of doctor’s appointments through e-mail or Skype. Recently, the Obamacare aims to provide accessible and affordable health care that focuses on quality of care instead of quantity on Medicare payments. Health plans and insurance with costly administrative charges are penalized while doctors that save on Medicare costs are rewarded. Patients are free to decide on their health care with their doctors rather than following the requirements of insurance companies. With the Obama-Biden plan, choices of new and affordable health insurance options are available to people without health insurance. The plan also aims to provide lower drug costs by encouraging the use of generic drugs in public programs and importation of safe medicines from other countries. The increase use of technology will eventually bring innovative modernization to the healthcare system. Part of the transformation was the online phenomenon that provides easy access of personalized health care technology in terms of home health where some of the major changes are still to come.
E-technology
One of the goals of the healthcare reform is to encourage healthcare providers to concentrate more on improving chronic diseases management as well as their prediction and prevention. The concept of preventive healthcare is to keep people healthy through disease prevention and early detection where consumers will be provided with effective delivery channels from midlevel providers that include physician assistants, nurses, nutritionists and health/exercise counselors. Through E-technology, patients can manage their own health by searching health information online to help them interpret medical information, latest research and treatments and in deciding to choose healthcare alternatives. Providers can be accessed through e-mail or televisit and to remind patients of their annual exams. This system can have a positive effect on patient-physician relationship where the responsibility of managing treatment and care is shared by the patient and the physician.
E-Monitoring
Chronic care will be easier to manage where patients can control their disease through IT enabled disease management programs in the convenience of their own home. Through the development of connected home monitoring devices on the Internet, testing the level of blood glucose on diabetic patients can be done by using an e-device where the result is downloaded to a health care professional with just a click of the computer mouse. Stepping on an e-scale can send instant alerts to health care practitioners in monitoring the desired weight of patients with heart disease. Heart rate and respiratory rate can be transmitted over the internet by wearing an e-shirt. Pictures of a digestive tract can be transmitted by swallowing a pill-sized camera. Non-urgent acute ailments can be treated with high quality care information through cyber medicine that will free them from doctor visits which reduces cost.
E-Connecting
Through online support groups, patients can connect with professional facilitators such as nurses, psychologists and people suffering from the same illness to share information, experiences and discuss topics on every disease category and how to cope with them. Connecting with them could provide patients with emotional support and encouragement which make them feel less lonely and isolated. This may not replace the standard medical care but will provide a comfort zone and reduces anxiety and depression brought by the illness.
References:
Forkner-Dunn, J., Internet-based Patient self-care: The Next Generation of Healthcare Delivery, Journal of Medical Internet Research (May 5, 2003). Retrieved from http://www.jmir.org/2003/2/e8/
Healthcare 2015: Win-win or lose-lose? A portrait and a path to successful transformation, IBM Global Business Services, (2006) Retrieved from http://www.hyvinvointiklusteri.fi/tiedostot/File/IBM_healthcare_2015.pdf
Kennedy, K., Next year heralds major changes in nation’s health care, (May 6, 2013). USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/06/five-ways-your-health-care-will-change-in-the-next-year/2050379/
