Macro Trends and the Impact on Future US Healthcare System
Overview and Purpose of the Analysis
As far as health care is concerned, the US government recognizes the increasing need of the public to access better medical services at relatively lower costs (Borgmann, 2005, p. 102). In various occasions, we observe majority of the American population remaining alienated from receiving good medical services either because of the high costs involved or because of negligence and inability to recognize the efforts of the government. Even after establishing different Healthcare Acts and setting aside part of the required funds to facilitate provision of healthcare services to the population, Americans are still facing crisis as far as provision of healthcare services in concerned (Leidl, 1998, p. 37). Some of the regularly mentioned issues revolve around high costs, accessibility and the quality of the services provided. According to the statistics collected by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, by 2013 over 34 percent of the US population were still facing challenges accessing medication and healthcare services while the government budget allocation on the mentioned healthcare services kept on rising. For example, between 2000 and 2008, the US government spent on average 13 percent of its real GDP on healthcare with an objective of ensuring equitable, cheap and accessible healthcare services (Borgmann, 2005, p. 102). However as the case stands, the major provisional goals have not been met due to various constraining factors.
Other than issues of social and racial segregation, other factors such as national economy, demographic issues, technology, personal lifestyle and behavior as well as Federal and state policies have significant impacts on US healthcare system. The effects experienced currently are expected to reign even in future unless the government comes to the rescue through workable policies and action plans to mitigate the diverse effects (Leidl, 1998, p. 37). The challenges faced by the US government in provision of healthcare services are generalized under Macro Trends. Some of the mentioned factors correspond to poor organization of healthcare structures while others link to lower response by the US population to obtain the medical services. This is paper is based on the impact of macro trends on future US healthcare system.
Macro Trends Affecting the future US Healthcare System
Just as stated, US Healthcare System is controlled by factors such as national economy, demographics, Personal lifestyle and behaviors, technology as well as federal and state policies, which are macro in nature. The macro aspect in this case means that the mentioned factors extensively affects or will affect the performance level of healthcare units in a way that will either improve or negate people’s living standards (Leidl, 1998, p. 39). These factors remain important for policies makers and their identification will help in gauging the level of growth or damage to the population and thus accurate response by the US Government.
Economy
Even though the US economy is stable, the budget allocation faces significant challenges due to increasing costs of operation in various sectors of the economy (Hitchcock, Schubert & Thomas, 2003, p. 87). The government has to allocate taxpayers money in various public programs that also require much of the government attention. Such programs financed by the government such as education programs, subsidizing public housing, facilitating youth programs, financing US armies and ensuring that publicly provided commodities and services are under good conditions. All these programs and the unmentioned ones burden the government budget. However, the US government must still ensure that the population obtains healthcare services as already planned (Daly, 2005, p. 63). In 2012, the Federal Budgeting committee had to review budget allocation to medical services with an aim of cutting the cost of operation. This strategy had negative consequences on national economy since due to inadequate medical services in various healthcare units, the US population sustained poor health conditions that affected industrial productivity. The government had to again adjust the budget higher, which again had relative impact on other areas.
As the case stands, US economy predict the fate of Healthcare system since the entire program is controlled by taxpayers’’ money. Improved economic performance and increase in personal income will mean an improvement in Federal taxes (Leidl, 1998, p. 46). Such finances can be used to improve the services offered by the healthcare providers. As national economy improves, the future US healthcare system will have a good base for stabilizing and meeting the government target of 100 percent free and fair medical services to the population.
Demographics
Demographics describe population characteristics with respect to age combination, sex, social classifications, employment rates and number (Hitchcock, Schubert & Thomas, 2003, p. 91). To a larger extent demographic, tend to identify some of the factors affecting current and future living status of a particular group of people (Leidl, 1998, p. 47). The US government aims at controlling birth rates and ensuring that the government is in a position to take care of its citizens through redistribution process of wealth. With much concentration on cutting down total births through family planning, the future population will be maintained at a relatively lower number compared to current situations. This means that if the government continues with its distribution process within the health sector, the existing population with have adequate healthcare facilities and the ratio 1:1 as objected will be met. The study of population trends and the changing patterns will allow the government to make improvements on its future healthcare system.
Personal lifestyles and behavior
The response the US population gives to publicly provided medical services highly depends on social status and family background. Whereas the poor section of the population responds well to the provided healthcare services, the rich ignores such services and instead opt for private healthcare services which they assume to better than those provided by the government. The government aim of meeting health requirements of every resident on US is much affected by personal lifestyles and individual behaviors (United States, 2008, p. 102). Apart from sidelining government services, people engage in different living styles that are mostly affected by social status. Practicing poor eating habit and consumption of harmful food substance are some of the factors that compel the government to improve its healthcare services so as to serve the ailing population. This will mean that the government must allocate more resources to cater for the increasing health of the population (United States, 2008, p. 102).
Technology
Changes in technology will force the government to and medical service providers to shift to modern methods of service delivery (Daly, 2005, p. 70). Some of the changes will include means of communication and how to keeping records of clients. The use of biotechnology such as scientific modification and combination of genes and hormones require highly sensitized and improved equipment. The government with therefore use its finances to expand the health sector to accommodate to the technological requirements (Daly, 2005, p. 19). On information storage, the use of smartphones will enhance growth in the healthcare system through proper and facilitated means of communication and access to clients’ database in a more convenient way.
Federal and state policies this is just an overview of the instructions
The US government processes are guided by focused policies with general objectives of ensuring future progress of the population (Hitchcock, Schubert & Thomas, 2003, p. 96). After realizing that very few people were responding the executed medical provisional plan, the government decided to imposed regressive tax schedule on the population and today, the rich pay more taxes than the poor members of the American society (Daly, 2005, p. 76). Such a process aimed at ensuring that the rich members of the society respond to publicly provided utilities as much as they pay more taxes to finance the services (Hitchcock, Schubert & Thomas, 2003, p. 96). The increased number of those seeking medical services meant that the government must work hand in hand with healthcare providers to expand future US healthcare system.
Basing our argument on the stated macro trends and their impact on healthcare system, we expect an increase in job opportunities resulting from expansion of healthcare sector to accommodate the numbers of clients. The budgeting process will require an expert in that area to facilitate the allocation process and ensure that future health requirements meet the government budgets (Daly, 2005, p. 78). On demographic issues, the healthcare provided must find statistics on the number of people residing in the area and the ratio portion receiving the provided medical services. In this area, a statistician is required with relevant knowledge on data collection and analysis. Concerning personal life and behavior, the population needs some form of mobilization and counseling to improve their level of response towards the provided services (Hitchcock, Schubert & Thomas, 2003, p. 98). A specialist in the field of psychology or any other relevant field will be in a position to obtain the job of counseling and mobilization (Daly, 2005, p. 23). In addition, installation of highly technical equipment will require an IT expert. The use of computers and other highly sensitive mobile applications like smartphones, MacBook, MacAir and tablets will require proper training by specific system operators (Daly, 2005, p. 26). The need to have an IT expert and System operator will provide a base for recruitment and hiring. Finally, the government must employee more persons in areas of policy creation and implementation to enhance improvement in provision of healthcare services.
References
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Daly, J. (2005). Professional nursing: Concepts, issues, and challenges. New York, NY: Springer Pub. Co.
Hitchcock, J. E., Schubert, P. E., & Thomas, S. A. (2003). Community health nursing: Caring in action. Australia: Thomson/Delmar Learning.
Leidl, R. (1998). Health care and its financing in the single European market. Amsterdam [u.a.: IOS [u.a..
United States. (2008). Impact of gaps in health coverage on income security: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, first session, November 14, 2007. Washington: U.S. G.P.O.