Future Direction of Health Care - Essay Example

Future Direction of Healthcare Future Direction of Healthcare The healthcare sector faces a number of challenges that affect the delivery and nature of service. The primary goal of the healthcare sector is to protect life, provide healthcare services and maintain the health of a society (Shi & Singh, 2010). The challenges that affect the healthcare sector influence the future strategic course of healthcare. The five challenges that will define the future of healthcare are advancements in information technology, maintenance of a skilled workforce, economics, accreditation and access to healthcare. These challenges are the internal and external factors expected to drive future strategies in the healthcare sector. Advancements in Information Technology Advancements One of the most important challenges that will influence the future strategic direction of the healthcare sector is the advancement of information technology. The sector will face challenges with the implementation of technological platforms such as electronic medical and health records. For instance, the sector has to train workers on how to use the platform in order to maximize service delivery and achieve organizational goals (Shi & Singh, 2010). Additional complications may emerge in cases where service providers try to avoid penalties because of the failure to implement the platforms. The issue of information confidentiality is also applicable in this case. Users of healthcare information technology must maintain high levels of confidentiality, while ensuring that the systems are safe and efficient. Maintenance of a Skilled Workforce The healthcare sector will expectedly experience a shortage of skilled workers. Most of the skilled and experienced workers are within the retirement age. The fact that the workforce is aged leads to problems of reduced productivity. When the retiring workforce leaves the workplace, there will be a loss of skill, knowledge and experience (Shi & Singh, 2010). In addition to the retiring workforce, the healthcare sector faces competition for workers from other countries and international organizations. Most healthcare practitioners are relocating to countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. Economics Economics will influence the future strategic direction of healthcare because they determine the cost of healthcare and the availability of financial resources for the management of the sector. Government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare are unsustainable (Shi & Singh, 2010). The current structure of these programs is not sufficient for the achievement of their goals. Funding towards these programs increase yearly, but they are not able to provide services to their target groups. The healthcare sector is also faced with a problem of increasing cost of care. In 2011 and 2012, approximately 35 percent of Americans could not access healthcare because of the prohibitive cost (Shi & Singh, 2010). Accreditation The healthcare sector also faces challenges from accreditation, organizational compliance and quality of healthcare. The accreditation process faces three sets of challenges to its usefulness, implementation and acceptability. These challenges have the potential to affect the strategic direction of the healthcare sector. The first challenge is the management of uncertainty in the cost and effectiveness of accreditation. The second challenge is in the management of concerns about the erosion of professionalism. The third challenge involves the promotion and elucidation of the conditions in which accreditation is appropriate (Shi & Singh, 2010). The first challenge is concerned with the ability of accreditation to achieve its purpose. The second challenge is concerned with unethical issues such as corruption, which may interfere with the professionalism of the accrediting organization. The third challenge is concerned with the demonstration of appropriateness. The appropriateness of the accreditation program is vital to its acceptability and usefulness. Access to Healthcare The main challenge in access to healthcare is the issue of access to the uninsured and people living in poverty. People who do not have healthcare insurance and people who cannot afford insurance face high costs of healthcare because they have to pay individually. Healthcare insurance and the cost of healthcare have increased by 30 percent over the last 15 years (Shi & Singh, 2010). In addition, a large number of employers do not provide healthcare insurance as is legally required. As a result, approximately 40 percent of Americans do not have healthcare insurance (Shi & Singh, 2010). People who can easily access healthcare services are people who are insured and the rich people who can easily pay from their pockets. How an Organization Can Adapt Its Direction and Strategies to Address These Challenges The nature of these challenges requires healthcare organizations to develop strategies for adaptation. The healthcare organization should begin by establishing strong relationships between care providers and patients. The establishment of these relationships will provide a platform for the management of the increasingly complex nature of healthcare (McGuire, Palus, Pasmore & Rhodes, 2009). The implementation of the strategies and adaptations that will help in overcoming these challenges requires the healthcare organization to undergo significant cultural changes and ensure professional participation. The healthcare organization should provide effective and strong leadership in the face of these challenges. In this case, the organization should develop a culture that supports leaders, risk taking and innovativeness. Additionally, the organization should strive to reward, attract and retain strong leaders. The second strategy is the establishment of organizational goals in line with the emerging challenges. The organization should support efforts to create new goals that aim to drive the organization through the challenges. The third strategy is the use of quantitative information to assess progress towards the achievement of quality. The goal of this strategy is to improve the processes and performance of the organization. Additionally, there should be a commitment towards evidence-based healthcare. The fourth strategy is the commitment of the organization towards continuous improvement and elimination of waste. It is vital for the healthcare organization to realize that faulty processes caused most of these challenges. Therefore, there is a need to establish a link between the elimination of wasteful processes and quality improvement (McGuire, Palus, Pasmore & Rhodes, 2009). Most importantly, the healthcare organization should focus on creating fundamental changes in the workplace. These changes should involve the empowerment of all employees. The empowerment of employees is important because they will have the confidence to report errors and cases of improper care. They will also have the freedom to suggest innovations. Conclusion A number of challenges affect the healthcare sector, which define the future strategic direction of healthcare. In my opinion, the five challenges that will influence the strategic direction of healthcare are advancements in information technology, accreditation, economics, maintenance of a skilled workforce and access to healthcare. In order to overcome these challenges, a healthcare organization should undergo significant cultural changes and ensure the professional participation of all its employees. The strategies that a healthcare organization can use to overcome these challenges include the provision of leadership that will confront the challenges, the elimination of waste and commitment towards continuous improvement. Additionally, the organization should build relationships with its stakeholders and commit towards the empowerment of its employees. References McGuire, J., Palus, C., Pasmore, W & Rhodes, G. (2009). Transforming Your Organization. California. Center for Creative Leadership. Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2010). Delivering Health Care in America: A Systems Approach. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett. Read More