While the healthcare industry has been scrutinized for its slow-moving adaptation to current trends, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced it to quickly stand on its feet and start running to meet the rising demands of patients and consumers.
This 2022, we’re already seeing several factors impacting the healthcare industry. In this article, we’re sharing the top healthcare trends to watch for this year and beyond.
- The Booming Popularity Of Virtual Care
Technology advancements in the medical industry have allowed patients to receive healthcare in real-time without having an in-person appointment. Due to its convenience, telehealth, which has boomed in popularity in the past few years, is expected to stay even after the pandemic. This is especially true since more and more healthcare providers and patients are increasingly adapting to virtual care and treatments. After all, with this model, patients are enabled to deal with their symptoms or routine treatments via virtual consultations with their physicians.
Aside from telehealth, virtual care options are also expected to expand, covering a wide range of health issues, including mental health, weight management, and care management for chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Such advancements go a long way in promoting accessibility, convenience, and efficiency of administering optimum healthcare service to patients.
- Physician Shortage Crisis
The world is facing a looming doctor shortage. In the US alone, there’s an estimated shortage of up to 121,000 physicians by 2030. Of that number, over 55,000 are primary care doctors and at least 67,000 specialists. The top three specializations with the largest projected deficits include cardiologists, ophthalmologists, and orthopedic surgery.
There are several reasons for the physician shortage crisis. Two of the most critical challenges are the lack of funding and the burnout experienced by medical professionals due to the pandemic. More so, it’s expensive to go to a medical school and train a physician, even more so for a specialization like cardiology. You can check this article from https://medicalaid.org to know what it takes to become a cardiologist in the US.
The funding opportunities are complex and limited, making it difficult for aspiring doctors to enter the market and complete training. And even if they finish their studies and training, physicians tend to experience severe burnout and depression due to the long working hours and big bills to pay.
Fortunately, the industry has several proposed solutions for the shortage crisis. For instance, a greater focus on providing improved access to funding for medical studies and training aims to increase the number of aspiring medical professionals. Healthcare providers are also looking for ways to minimize physician burnout. They are putting physician well-being at the forefront, providing support and care while equipping them with the right resources for professional growth and increasing satisfaction in their roles.
- Increased Focus On Data Management
As the healthcare industry continues to adapt to digitization, the rate at which patient data is being produced, collected, tracked, and analyzed has never been greater than before.
Data is valuable in all areas of the healthcare industry, from individual physicians to medical research. It allows you to see trends across the entire population and establish predictive models for service demand and disease prevalence. Health systems now also have the capability for predictive analysis, powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence, allowing providers to identify patients and diseases for more efficient patient management and personalization.
On the other hand, with the increase in healthcare data, there’s also a pressing concern for enhanced security to prevent hacks and breaches. Thus, healthcare providers are now investing more in boosting the security measures of their IT infrastructure to ensure that patients’ information and the medical facility’s critical data are safe and secure.
- Prioritization Of Mental Health
Mental health has become a hot topic in the past few years due to the pandemic’s health and safety protocols that prevented people from socializing. The year-long isolation has wreaked havoc on the public’s mental health and created concern for the growing mental health crisis.
And so, it’s no surprise that psychological and behavioral medicine is getting more attention. From new treatment methods such as trauma-informed care to the increasing popularity of mental health apps, the healthcare industry is expected to respond to people’s current mental health needs.
What’s more, we’re seeing more people coming forward to share their mental health stories using public platforms, ultimately reducing the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
Wrapping It Up
The healthcare sector is a continuously progressing industry. And as it continues to grow and utilize various technological advancements to improve its processes, a more efficient healthcare service can be administered to the general public.
And while no one knows exactly what may occur in the future, healthcare organizations that follow and bet on the trends outlined in this post could be well-positioned in the coming years, allowing them to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving industry.
