Most diseases of today, both mental and physical, are associated with personal lifestyle. Individuals can take responsibility for most factors, such as diet, exercise, smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, using drugs, personal hygiene, and so on. …show more content…
Technology has made many new methods of diagnosis, procedures, and treatments possible. Medical technology can prolong life for the severely ill and patients with chronic disease. The continuing surge of technological advances is not without its drawbacks. The high cost of technology affects financial structure of the entire healthcare system. These increased costs are evident in the form of higher health insurance costs, higher hospital stay costs, and higher total medical bills. This cutting edge technology has not only increased medical care costs, but created social and ethical issues. Because of limits in overall funding, treatment is not available to all people. This issue will be addressed later. Future medical technology breakthroughs are endless and often times, unimaginable. Incredible progress has been made in biotechnology, computers, and deciphering the human genome. As a result of new technology, it can be expected that life expectancy will increase up to hundreds, integrative medicine will become a reality, and telemedicine will become the norm. The possibilities are endless when it come to advances in technology. Because of these medical advances, new careers will be created and patient experience in healthcare will be dramatically …show more content…
For any new care-delivery model or technology to take hold, there will have to be a change in the current reimbursement structure. There is a long road ahead for healthcare reform and costs. Such reform must focus on federal subsidies including: Medicaid, Medicare, employment-based, and the exchange subsidies established in Obamacare. The goal of reform should be to reduce costs, but to shift resources to where public gains are expected to be higher, including preventing health problems before they arise and encouraging wellness. In the future, the private-practice physician will be operating a truly independent business free from insurers. Or there won’t be any private practices; instead all physicians will work as leaders in hospitals or health systems. The current system is beginning to transform, and the future promises a continued focus on utilization of prevention/wellness services, technology advances, and affordable payment options. These new paradigms in healthcare delivery will make care more convenient, effective, and affordable for all. The future looks bright after