Overview of the Healthcare System

---

The healthcare system in the U.S. has been changing at an astronomical pace over the last few years. Technology, politics, healthcare advancements, and socio-economic factors have all played a part in the expansion of healthcare to the point where the current healthcare system can be more complicated and confusing than ever. Those seeking healthcare and already enrolled in healthcare benefits both face a challenging road to understand what healthcare has to offer and how to obtain it.

In addition, the healthcare system now offers an amazing variety of treatments and medications designed to allow patients to live longer and have a better quality of life along the way. With technological improvements and an ever increasing population, the healthcare system as it is will be a forever evolving creature and those involved in the healthcare industry must learn to evolve with it or get left behind. While understanding the nuances of healthcare can be challenging, one thing is certain – the healthcare system is destined to become something unrecognizable and impressive over the next few decades.

Technological Advancements and Their Impact on the Healthcare System

Technological advancements such as electronic health records, telemedicine/telehealth, portal technology, self-service kiosks, remote monitoring tools, sensors and wearable technology, real-time locating services, and pharmacogenomics (genome sequencing) are all impacting the healthcare system in a positive way. What once was considered technology of the future is now being implemented on a daily basis in most clinical settings.

Advancements in technology offer doctors and other healthcare providers a wider range of options regarding patient care, recordkeeping, and information gathering. For example, a doctor who once had to dig through pages of a massive medical book in order to search for symptoms of a rare disorder simply has to hop online and type in the symptoms. A world of information is right at the fingertips of those who need it most and that is just one of the ways technology has impacted medicine.

Politics and the Future of Medicine

Obamacare has been a polarizing topic over the last few years and is proof just how much impact the healthcare system as it stands affects typical American households. Mandatory healthcare is a highly debatable topic, but one that is worth debating. Regardless of whether the healthcare system is firing on all cylinders or broken and in need of repair, it is obvious that politics play a huge role in the future of medicine and their impact can be felt by millions everyday.

Increasing Population with Longer Life Spans

An increasing population with longer life spans currently impacts the healthcare system in a way that implies change may be necessary. People are living longer than they ever while new births aren’t slowing down at all. These two factors alone mean more and better healthcare will be needed as time goes by. The healthcare system as it stands may not be capable of providing quality care for all those who need it and in order to guarantee every patient gets the care he or she deserves, change must come and come quickly.