Demographics of the Aging Population and Impacts on Healthcare - Essay Example

Demographics of the Aging Population and Impacts on Healthcare Introduction The changing demographics of the aging population are present ideally in the majority of countries in Europe as well as United States of America. This has substantial impacts in healthcare provision with respect to quality and safety of healthcare. The changing demographics compel the management of healthcare facilities to substantially elaborate new medical care ideas which are customized to the needs of the older patients. This is expected to affect the organizational structure, hospital processes as well as personnel qualifications which must be reviewed in order to meet the increasing needs for this specific population. The costs are also expected to go higher and there is need to provide avenues that will cater for increased costs. Research has shown that if the productivity of physicians as well as healthcare consumption patterns remains constant over a period of time, there would be increase in demand for physicians per thousand populations from 2.8 to 3.1 in 2000 and 2020 respectively as a result of increasing aging population (Calvano, 2013). This study also suggested that the demand for full-time-equivalent registered nurse would also increase from 7 to 7.5 within the period between 2000 and 2020. This shows that physicians would have their work increased which is likely to affect their productivity. As stated by Calvano (2013), the patient care hours spent by physicians providing services to people older than 65 years is also expected to move from the current 32% to 39% by the year 2020. Moreover, the aging of the workforce is a major concern in that many healthcare professionals are also expected to retire during the same time period, a time when their services are most needed. According to Lowthian et al (2013), the diminishing proportion of the population age between 18-30 makes matters has worsen the situation since it reduces the ability to attract sufficient of new healthcare professionals. Empirical data shows that the cost of healthcare for the elderly population will also put more pressures on healthcare insurers in order to manage healthcare costs. In this respect the supply and demand of healthcare professionals since the wages are likely to go down. The overall effect is the reduction in productivity, quality and safety in healthcare services. Some studies have suggested that future elderly are likely to have lower disability rates as compared to the current elderly due to the advancement in economic resources, controlling for age, lifestyle change, public health medical technology and increased education levels. However, there are immense statistics and studies that suggest that the aging population is likely to result into rising average patient acuity which demands for higher ratios of nurse and physicians within a healthcare facility. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases among the elderly people in United States and other countries of the world. According to Erwin et al (2006), six percent of the U.S. population which is equivalent to 16 million Americans suffer from diabetes yet more than one dollar of every ten dollars spent in healthcare is spent on diabetes. This study suggests that if the trend is not revered, by the year 2025, more than twenty million will be suffering from diabetes. While many elderly patients are capable of controlling their conditions, research shows that the majority are affected by many other challenges that affect their health. According to American Association of Diabetes, elderly people with diabetes also suffer from other complications such as blindness, diabetic retinopathy, kidney failure, neuropathy, hearing loss and lower limb amputations (2013). This report also indicates that approximately 26% of American seniors have diabetes and 1 out of 3 American adults are expected to have diabetes in the year 2050 if the current trend is not reversed (American Association of Diabetes, 2013). While the aging population constitutes only 12 percent of the general world population, they constitute 41 percent of people with diabetes. These statistics show that diabetes among the aging population and the changing demographics within this population is likely increase more pressure on diabetes management programs. While approximately two thirds of all medical costs related to diabetes are attributed to the elderly population, more than 20.9 percent of these people are 60 years old and above (Erwin et al, 2006). It is therefore important to note that diabetes is one of the most severe, common and a costly chronic disease in the Unites States and worldwide. During the year 2002, the cost of diabetes was estimated at 132 dollars going to medical expenditure as well as lost opportunity though direct medical expenditure attributed to the elderly people was more than fifty percent (Erwin et al 2006). Moreover, the presence of chronic conditions among the aging population has resulted into the increased re-hospitalization which results as a result of prevalence of chronic complications and poor metabolic control. These statistics shows that with the changing demographics of the aging population, we anticipate serious economic implications of diabetes and the related chronic conditions on both the government and the elderly populations. The resources are going to be strained further to cater for not only the increasing population of the elderly but also to cater for the cost of diabetes cases which is expected to increase. The changing demographics have called for review of healthcare policies with respect to diabetes in the elderly population. Tow issues must be addressed which are the increasing costs and reduction of productivity in healthcare market. According to Pachana (2013), having a multidisciplinary approach to care is vital to providing both the health and mental healthcare services. This approach is based on the idea that in less hierarchically organized systems, especially caring for adults with multiple comorbidities can be less fragmented thus can be sensitive to the varying life experiences. This intervention is expected to mitigate on the impacts of the changing demographics on the productivity. There is need for the patient, community and the society in general to adopt a total lifestyle change not only to improve on their health, but also to reduce their expenditure attributed to increased hospitalization due to their susceptibility to illness. In this study, we have found that one of the factors contributing to high costs of medication for the elderly is prevalence to re-hospitalization. It is therefore important to note that one of the ways of addressing challenges of high cost would be to reduce the cases of re-hospitalization to the possible minimum. This can be achieved through cooperation between the diabetes patients, the society and community by assisting those at high risks for complications after hospitalization to safely return home and avoid hospitalization. Community support through the Older American Act (OAA) ensures support is always provided at the right time need for the right people. The transition of patients from hospital discharge to home is also very important to prevent readmission of elderly patients. Individuals or community care service providers can offer intervention approaches such as teaching and coaching patients about the self-care skills and encouraging them to actively engage themselves in their own care. Community can provide a safer transition to home by providing giving supportive services thus can also be cost-effective approach to coaching. Combined efforts between the patients and the community is therefore important in improving health and reducing costs attributed elderly diabetic population. References American Diabetes Association (2013). “Fast Facts: Data and statistics about Diabetes”. American diabetes association (3). Calvano, L. (2013). Tug Of War: Caring For Our Elders While Remaining Productive At Work. Academy Of Management Perspectives, 27(3), 204-218 Erwin, G., Iyer, S., Rajagopalan, R., Astuto, J., Wilson, P., Schaneman, J., & Klein man, N. (2006). Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Patterns and Healthcare Costs in the Elderly Population. Disease Management & Health Outcomes, 14(2), 75-83 Lowthian, J. J., Curtis, A. A., Stoelwinder, J. J., Mcneil, J. J., & Cameron, P. P. (2013). Emergency demand and repeat attendances by older patients. Internal Medicine Journal, 43(5), 554-560 Pachana, N. A. (2013). A global snapshot of mental health issues, services, and policy. Journal of American Society on Aging, Vol.37 (1) 27-32. Read More