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Hospital Use Advantages And Disadvantages

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People have always been in search of wellness. Hundreds of years ago, this search was easier said than done, nonetheless, humans were continuously looking for a way to extend mortality. Until the early 1900s, there was not the plethora of institutions and hospitals that are so accessible to citizens today. Even though hospitals took root in the communities across the globe, there has been a recently wane of hospital usage in the past few decades. This shift in hospital use is due to a myriad of reasons such as cost of healthcare and the rapid development of technology, all accompanied by certain advantages and disadvantages. Improved technology is a significant contributor for the change in hospital use. Strangely, it has different effects, both encouraging and discouraging hospital use simultaneously. Technology is growing at a precipitous exponential rate. Better technology has lead to more accurate surgeries and procedures due to advances in robotics and lasers (citation). This has provided people with more precise surgeries like hip and knee replacements and stent insertions. The newer technology can also make smaller incisions, reducing the recovery time and, ultimately, length of the hospital stay. Consumer preferences have caused a massive decrease in healthcare use. This relates to patients encouraging the use of nursing homes, urgent care facilities, and the drive for home health care. Potential patients are also participating in more outpatient surgeries such as cataract extractions, tonsillectomies, hernia repairs, and minor cosmetic procedures which will not generate as much revenue for the hospital than an inpatient surgery would. Childbirth is also a large contender that has decreased hospital stays. Many years ago it was customary for women to remain at the hospital for up to 10 days during childbirth. Recently, women are hospitalized for only 24-48 hours before returning home (citation). There is also a more advanced understanding of the different causes of disease and changes in lifestyle patterns. Physicians are encouraging self-care and educating patients on ways to prevent illnesses and life-threatening diseases, often referred to as primary care. For example, people are more socially

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