Evolving Healthcare Trends

 The model trends in the healthcare system have been changing over the period. The old trend gave importance to the individual patients and the emphasis was on treating illness. The goal of the hospitals was to do inpatient admissions, fill up the beds and more emphasis was given to acute inpatient care. The role of managers in the old paradigm was to run the organization and coordinate services. In the old system, all providers were essentially the same. The hospitals, physicians, and health plans were separate and not integrated.

The newer trends that evolved gave importance to the population as a whole. It not only treated illness but emphasized promoting the wellness of the people. The goal of the healthcare system after being transformed over the years is to provide care at all levels which are continued. The role of managers in the new paradigm is broader. They see the market and help in quality and continued improvement. They not only run the organization but also go beyond the organizational boundaries. In the evolving system, the providers are differentiated according to their abilities. The hospitals, physicians, and health plans have formed an integrated delivery system.

One of the current trends in the healthcare delivery model is that continued care is emphasized. The key professionals are not only treating patients for their illness, but they are promoting and managing quality of health. For example, a patient with high cholesterol visits a doctor. He is not only given one-on-one medical treatment but he is also offered to attend a group session where information is provided on how lifestyle and behavioral change can help. The patients learn from the clinicians and also from each other. Another current trend is to take care of the health of the defined population and not only individual patients. All the health needs of the population as a whole are identified and served. It is emphasized that the community uses the health and social services provided. Healthcare has become more population-based. Another trend that has evolved is that the hospitals, physicians, and health plans have got connected and have formed an integrated delivery system. More investments are being made to provide services to the customers and retain them.

There is a beneficial impact in the transformation of healthcare towards emphasizing continued health. The way healthcare has been viewed in the past has been changing. The shifting of care from treating acute illnesses to providing continued care is resulting in the enhancement of the health of the people. The only appropriate and feasible model is to provide a continuum of care with the emphasis firmly on the family and community. The health of the population and community is considered as a whole.

This is advantageous as it creates value in the healthcare delivery system. The healthcare providers work with the community as a whole and consider improving the health of the general population. Even though this requires new kinds of ways of organizing and managing healthcare services, it helps in understanding the health needs of the target population. By studying their needs, the right health and social services could be provided to them. Examples of promoting the wellness of the whole community are organizing health campaigns and providing preventive education to the people in general. Another example is providing awareness about flu vaccines and encouraging people to get the vaccination.