By Barbara Pierce
With our longer lifespan and the transformative technologies that emerge daily, healthcare is evolving more rapidly than ever. Health care delivery is advancing at an unprecedented pace.
Some trends that will shape the healthcare landscape in 2024:
Artificial intelligence
“Artificial intelligence, virtual visits and the use of wearable devices are all trends that will impact the future of how care is delivered in the future,” said physician Lisa Y. Harris, chief medical officer, Excellus Blue Cross BlueShield.
The use of AI in healthcare is not a new concept, but recent advances have launched its potential forward by leaps and bounds. AI is not one technology, but rather a collection of them. It’s being used in healthcare for everything from answering patient questions to assisting with surgeries and developing new pharmaceuticals.
For example, AI virtual nurse assistants are used to help answer patients’ questions, forward reports to doctors, and schedule appointments. Also, it can bring all the data regarding a patient together in a meaningful way so that the physician can make a precise diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to the patient.
One of the key benefits of AI is its ability to make data-driven decisions. By analyzing large amounts of data, AI can identify trends and patterns that human beings would take longer to identify or miss altogether.
“The jury is still out on the utility and functionality of AI, but it’s a trend that can have broad implications,” said Harris.
“It’s important to note that no technology is a proper substitute for the human mind and the expertise of trained physicians and health care professionals,” she cautioned. “Used appropriately, AI can be a useful tool in the arsenal doctors use to help speed up diagnosis, aid in the development of treatment plans and even provide additional options, but there are valid equity and accuracy concerns.”
Patient-centered model of care
“Consumers are asking for care to be delivered where they want it, when they want it and how they want it,” said Harris.
The role of health care professionals is evolving. Harris sees the future model of care to include increasing home visits, and virtual visits, both more convenient to patients.
During the pandemic, virtual visits — telehealth — were a necessity and showed us how things could change for the better. Today, more and more patients are taking advantage of virtual visits to connect with doctors via video chats, saving them a trip to the office.
Also, the next wave of care emphasizes wellness and preventive medicine, rather than primarily treating problems after they occur.
The direct primary care model is a practice and payment model where patients pay the physician directly in the form of periodic payments for a defined set of primary services. It’s been around for about a decade, but only recently started gaining traction.
Each DPC practice varies. Physician Tina Chee, board-certified in internal medicine, owner and operator of Updesign Health in Syracuse, is in the forefront of this new model of care.
“This is the future of primary care,” she said of her practice, describing herself as a doctor, health coach and partner. One important way she differs from other physicians is the 30- to 60-minute time she spends with her patients in each visit.
“This allows enough time to review their situation and provide counseling, with the goal of optimizing their health. Time is valuable to both the doctor and the patient; having enough time with the doctor is the main thing I offer,” she added. “For most doctors, the more patients you see, the more income you generate, it’s like a factory.”
She offers home visits to her patients in the local area, and telehealth visits to patients throughout New York state. She dispenses some medications from her office, with more affordable pricing.
Another way Chee is unique is that she bills Medicare. “Every DPC is different,” she said. “Some opt out of Medicare. I’m a hybrid. I don’t charge on top of Medicare. My practice is more affordable. I focus on keeping people healthy. This is not supported in the insurance model.”
Biomarkers
Testing a patient’s biomarker (or biological marker) before deciding on treatment is an emerging trend. Biomarker-guided therapies have promoted the promise of more personalized medicine via electronic prescription software, with the prescription of the right treatment to the right patient, while avoiding expensive ineffective drugs and adverse drug reactions. Cancer treatments have especially taken advantage of this technology.
Biomarkers refer to a broad range of measures which capture what is happening in a cell or organism at a given moment. They are a biological indicator of your body’s internal condition — cholesterol is a biomarker, blood sugar is a biomarker, hormones are biomarkers.
They can provide valuable information about cancer; each individual’s cancer has a unique pattern of biomarkers which will affect how certain cancer treatments work. Biomarker testing may help you and your doctor choose the most effective cancer treatment for you.
Extraordinary possibilities in healthcare are waiting around the corner.