The “Age” of Healthcare has an uncertain future.
The old adage of “things will get worse before they get better” seems more and more to be the mantra of healthcare today. The troubles affecting today’s healthcare system are numerous and highly complex to the point that they must be hampering strategic planning. Several large issues are on the horizon for healthcare that if not addressed in the foreseeable future could spell out devastating problems.
Certainly one of the top ten issues for most healthcare facilities must be the huge impact that the baby-boomer population will have on healthcare. Known as the “Silver Tsunami” the rapidly aging of the nation’s population will bring demands for healthcare services that in my estimation, today’s healthcare system is unprepared to deal with.
USA Today outlines some concerning statistics regarding projections for Alzheimer’s disease that will hit the nation by the year 2010. Almost 20% of all boomers are expected to suffer from Alzheimer’s, some 14 million people.
The costs associated with the disease are staggering. Not only the financial cost but the emotional costs that families and friends of Alzheimer’s patients endure are horribly impressive.
The impact of Alzheimer’s alone to hospitals is significant. Depending on the degree of dementia a patient has dictates the amount of resources needed to provide a safe environment for these patients. Many times these patients are seen strapped into chairs in the hallways of hospitals so that staff can keep an eye on them. Some even require a hospital employee to be with them around the clock to make sure they don’t climb out of bed and fall, or pull out their intravenous (IV) lines.
Many patients with Alzheimer’s are so confused that they become combative and are a danger to hospital staff members, patients, and even their own family members. The “Silver Tsunami” phenomenon poses a definite threat to healthcare organizations. There must be plans incorporated into every hospital’s long and short term strategic development to deal with the demands that will be placed on healthcare as the population comes of age. The future of patient safety is at risk.
About the Author
Mike Pringle is the author of Healthcare Today where he offers commentary and insight regarding today’s healthcare issues. Additionally he provides regular commentary for Red Scrubs and editorial content for Future Healthcare. He has over 20 years of nursing experience working both domestically and internationally. Mike has a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and a Masters Degree in Public Administration with a Healthcare emphasis. He specializes in both Emergency and Critical Care Nursing. He currently works at Falmouth Hospital as a Shift Manager for the emergency department.
charlesclarknovels responds:
Posted: March 20th, 2008 at 8:59 pm →
The post ceratainly describes many of the problems in health care delivery today–sort of like something coming from a messanger of doom. What can be done about it? It seems that most of what I read is a report on what’s wrong, like a weather report, but seldom is any corrective action suggested. But nothing will change unless the system is changed. Costs will continue to escalate, quality will continue to deteriorate unless the causes are identified and some attempt is made to correct them.
A beginning would be to deny reimbursement for medicallly unnecessary surgical procedures, for medically unnecessary diagnostics and medically unnecessary utilization of ancillary services (DME, Home Health, PT). There should be no reimbursement for self-referrals of patients by physicians to facilities in which they have a financial interest.
Health care providers should be rewarded for exemplary performance, the P4P concept. The primary care physicians should not be penalized because of proceduralists’s practice patterns of “more is better.” Remove the incentives to provide more service, without regard for whether or not it is necessary. This represents a staggering cost of health care that could be reduced. Dollars could then be allocated where they are needed the most.
Is any candidate or lawmaker courageous enough to take these steps in the face of professional health care lobbyists? I seriously doubt it unless the citizens paying for the costs rise in protest.
charlesclarknovels
www.charlesclarknovels.com
Mike Pringle responds:
Posted: March 20th, 2008 at 10:48 pm →
The messenger of doom may be a bit over the top but your point is well taken. There is certainly not a lot of good news in healthcare today on any level. There are so many convoluted issues in healthcare, all of them politically polarized, and in some way shape or form tied to dollars.
The business of healthcare has become a business in trouble. For years the problems we see today have been sitting on the back burner over a low flame and no one wanted to take of the lid, so to speak. Now we as a country are facing some very concerning issues that are and will affect all of us for some time.
Most of the answers you and I seek negatively affect the bottom lines of many stakeholders, and no one has taken the plunge if you will to get things started. Everyone is talking about how things need to change but no one has come out and played the first card. It may be up to the public to unite and pressure law makers, insurance companies, and other key factions in healthcare to make changes. I would hope it would not come to that, however public out cry may be what the doctor ordered.
Thanks for your comment.
Mike