Advances in medical care technology and diagnostic technology impacts patients, individual providers, healthcare organizations, and insurers in different ways. Patients benefit from medical and diagnostic technology because they have better cure rates from many illnesses due to better medical equipment and new innovative testing. Physicians and healthcare organizations that have access to new innovative technology and testing will benefit financially due to increased patient loads and demand for services. Many insurers will require pre-approval for new tests and require patients to pay out-of-pocket when receiving care.
New technology is costly and increases demand for secondary insurances. Changes in the U. S. demographics such as adult population increases affect patients and society as a whole. “Community life creates the need to control the transmission of communicable diseases, maintain a sanitary environment, provide safe water and food, and sustain disabled and low-income populations. ” (Sultz & Young, 2011). We are responsible for all “public health” issues. Providers are responsible for providing efficient and effective treatment for patients. The healthcare industry has to reform in order to compensate changing demographics.
They are responsible for ensuring that every citizen receives quality health care that is cost-effective and easily accessed. The insurance agencies are impacted by changing demographics when there is an increase in population and more people require coverage for medical services, or require a secondary insurance as a supplemental coverage. Specialists and subspecialists provide specific treatment for patients with certain illnesses. Having specialists for different areas of healthcare allows patients to have better quality care. Many physicians are studying to become specialists because they will have a higher rate of pay and job security.
However, “the emphasis on medical diagnosis and treatment by combinations of specialist and subspecialist physicians has been criticized as contributing significantly to the complexity and rising costs of medical care. ” (Sultz & Young, 2011). The healthcare industry struggles to maintain cost-effective care for patients and insurers take advantage of rising costs by raising cost-sharing for consumers when they see a specialist. When it comes to financing of healthcare, the U. S. has a long way to go before healthcare will be available and affordable for all citizens.
Many patients require treatment for serious illnesses, but because of costs they delay seeking care. When they finally decide to receive treatment, their illness is so advanced that their care is more expensive and in return “providers absorb increased costs as free care. Insurers pass costs on to the insured in the form of higher premiums, and citizens pay higher taxes to support public hospitals or public insurance programs. ” (Sultz & Young, 2011). The healthcare industry has become the largest labor-intensive industry in the United States and it will only continue to grow.
This will help patients by allowing access to providers even in rural areas. Providers will have job security and insurers will have consumers to keep their industry growing. Technological advances and our ever changing demographics increase the demand for a more diverse healthcare industry. The United States spends more on health care than any other country, without having better health outcomes. “Canadians are, overall, statistically healthier than Americans and show lower rates of many diseases such as various forms of cancer.
On the other hand, evidence suggests that with respect to some illnesses (such as breast cancer), those who do get sick have a higher rate of cure in the U. S. than in Canada. ” (B. W. , 2009). With the United States putting trillions into the health care industry, fraud and abuse will be prevalent. Another dimension of the health care industry is the “waste” that is reported. “Studies indicate that 30% to 40% of U. S. health spending is “waste” in that it provides services of no discernible value and inefficiently produces valuable services. ” (Sultz & Young,2011).