As the US population grows older, the health care system must change to meet the demands of an aging demographic that will eventually put 200% more demand on healthcare services. The focus on hospitals as primary healthcare outlets will need to change to meet these new challenges, moving from traditional hospital care to home health care, postacute rehabilitation, primary care and hospice care. In addition, we are seeing a shift in how people think about their health.
As the US population grows older, the health care system must change to meet the demands of an aging demographic that will eventually put 200% more demand on healthcare services. The focus on hospitals as primary healthcare outlets will need to change to meet these new challenges, moving from traditional hospital care to home health care, postacute rehabilitation, primary care and hospice care. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 has increased access to healthcare options, as has Medicare, Medicaid and healthtech, but future healthcare will need to focus on meeting patient goals and values alongside cost-saving efforts.