Healthcare and the Modern Age

Healthcare costs continue to greatly exceed the rate of inflation and are one of the largest financial concerns in the United States. While technology is often anecdotally cited as being the largest contributor to this issue, we would delve deeper into the research and data available to verify whether this is true or not. The aim of this project is manifold. The first objective is to examine the costs which are associated with new technologies in healthcare, and with theses technological improvements, do increased investments and expenditures outweigh the quality outcomes they influence? This paper will also explore ‘problem areas’ in this sector where research shows that there is a vast amount of overspending for technology. We will also explore emerging technologies which demonstrate promise in decreasing healthcare spending and potential cost-effective, advantageous uses of these advances. In addition to this, we will determine prospective measures, such as governmental regulations, which may curtail the increasing costs and economic burden of technological advancements in healthcare. Using various economic theories and principles, described later, this project will also analyze various factors which allow technological innovations to consistently drive such unusually high healthcare spending.

One of the main challenges regarding the growing use of medical technology in the United States is the growing costs that go along with these changes. These state of the art machines as well as new drug and biological developments come at huge costs which in turn are partially paid by patients and consumers. This has led to huge increases in the average costs of healthcare (Begay, “Technology” Lecture, 10/31/17).

In the article How Changes in Medical Technology Affect Health Care Cost authors give an answer to the question why health care spending increase rapidly last few years. Authors describe what term “medical technology” is mean and how innovations in medical technology can increase people spending on health care. Authors give us a statistic of spending in health care industry in our country for past ten years and compare spending on medical technology and other parts of healthcare spending. For the last forty five years health care expenditures increase from $356 dollars in 1970 to 8.000 in 2013 and it is projected to rise to $12,320 in 2015. A key question is why spending on a health care increase faster than on other goods and services. Researchers

The creation of technology changed the way healthcare is being received, and even organized. The introduction of electronic medical records, to finding cures that humans thought would not be possible, healthcare has changed right in front of everyone’s eyes. Let’s discuss what exactly a computer is and how technology is changing in the field of healthcare and medicine.

New technology improvements give ways to digitize a human being in highest definition, and in detail. The use of digital technologies includes smartphones, bandwidth, pervasive connectivity and social networking. It even go beyond which includes immense, seemingly unlimited, computing power via cloud server farms, biosensors, genome sequencing, imaging capabilities and health information systems (Topol, E. 2013, July 13). The digital device loaded for medicine helps with displaying all of one’s vital signs quickly, conducting laboratory analyses, sequencing parts of one’s genome, or even acquiring ultrasound images of one’s heart, abdomen or unborn baby (Topol, E. 2013, July 13). The U.S. government relates to the health care “reform,” by improving access and insurance coverage which has nothing to do with innovation. Medical care is formed by guidelines and expectations to follow, and it’s known as a population rather than an individual.

Technology has truly played a pivotal role in the advancement of today’s healthcare system. Carl Houston (2013) discusses how technology has made huge advancements in things such as: genetics and genomics, less invasive and more accurate tools for diagnosis and treatment, 3-d printing, robotics, biometrics, and computerized physician/provider order entry and clinical decision maker. With today’s advanced technologies, patients with more complex health issues, which would have killed them in the past, can now be treated. Interventions and cures that we did not even think were possible years ago, are being used. For nurses, electronic health records (HER) allows them to have quick access to the patients medication and health history information

The third step that health care institutions will need to implent to be successful is the use of technology and system integration. Technology is a vital change in health care. Technology changes everyday and so does the way that we use it. Currently, most health care institutions operate on a interdependent system but, due to the need for patient information to be accessed from any health care organization systems are slowly starting to become more interoperable with the goal that all health care organizations will be connected by one large system. With the increased technology and the need for these systems health care officals have to also be concerned about patient privacy. As healthcarebusiness tech.com(2016) states " As technology in

Health care policies and technology has affected consumers, providers, patients and the health care environment as a whole, in many different ways, some critical. Health policy is made up of decision, strategies, and actions that are embarked on to accomplish precise health care goals. Technology has developed swiftly with no signs of it decelerating. Technology in the health care industry has provided technological growth in countless forms. The challenges of an organization overcoming change by the implementation of new laws and the rise of technology have been beneficial to countless health care organizations. A great example of how current health policy has affected and overcame the challenges of change is by the Patient Protection and

I have witnessed change occurring at different rates within a healthcare system with how technology improves patient care. Digital innovations have now made it easier for patients and doctors to communicate, advances in healthcare, and a new era of medicine. Patients now have access to their medical records, take tests at home, use social networking, and monitor their vital signs. Advances in technology can help improve patient treatment and save money for health care costs. The preferred outcome for this change of technology contributed to breakthroughs with better medicine, development of new software programs, more accessible treatment, and improved care and efficiency. The impact on the organization for the patient experience has changed

There are many things wrong with the current healthcare system in America. When thinking of taking on a universal healthcare plan, there are many things one must consider. Who would be eligible for it? How would it affect those who already have insurance, and how would it financially affect the economy? It is quite obvious that people below poverty level have access to public health programs, such as Medicaid. What needs to be taken into consideration is that people who are poor, barely "above" "poverty”, “middleclass" "and" those who do not have health insurance are highly "affected" (Rashford 7). Many people suffer on various levels due to inadequate access to appropriate healthcare. The "number" of people who are

“Healthcare information technology began with the computer in the early 1970s and did not see a broad acceptance until individual computers were made available at the end of the decade. In spite of the advancement

With each passing day, technology plays a larger and larger role in health care. Physicians in organizations of all sizes are being incentivized and even required to use electronic health records and other information technology systems in their practices. Familiarity with these systems and the regulations that dictate their use is a significant benefit in today's technology-driven health care field. A physician who understands the role health IT plays in modern medicine brings added value to any organization or practice he or she is a part of.

Twenty years ago no one in the health care industry could have dreamed of the advancements we are experiencing today. The technology has advanced treatments, equipment, and delivery of care. Information is key to successful problem-solving and health service delivery (Hovenga & Heard, 2010). Combining and progressing in the information technology field has and will continue to advance care. Change and potential progress in health care are influenced by many factors, one important factor today is progress in information and communication technologies (ICT), leading to new pervasive or ubiquitous ICT, providing new opportunities to support or even enable new types of health

The health industry has existed for a very long time ever since doctors bartered for chickens to pay for their services. Computers on the other hand in their modern form have only existed since the 1940s. So when did technology become a part of healthcare? The first electronic health record programs were created in the 1960s around the same time the Kennedy administration started exploring the validity of such products. Between the 1960s and current administration there were little to no advancements in the area of EHR despite monumental advancements in software and hardware that is available. While some technology more directly related to care such as digital radiology have made strides medical record program and practice management programs have gained little traction. Physicians have not had a reason or need for complicated expensive health record suites. This all changed with the introduction of the Meaningful Use program introduced in 2011. Meaningful use is designed to encourage and eventually force the usage of EHR programs. In addition it mandates basic requirements from EHR software manufactures that had become very divided and siloed in their nature. The result was in 2001 18 percent of offices used EHR as of 2013 78 percent are using EHRs. Now that you are caught up on the state of technology in healthcare let us discuss some major topics that have come up due to recent changes. First what antiquated technologies is healthcare are still using, what new tech

Over the years, computer technology and the internet has made a drastic change around the world for healthcare industry. The healthcare industry is continuing to give positive changes for patients and employees thanks to computer technology. It has made it easier and more productive for patients and employees. Now patients can feel more at ease during their doctor’s visit because of the benefits of technology.