Why is President Obama trying to convince the world that making the right choices about technology in healthcare can make such a difference in the recovery of the American economy? Well, because he's right, at least from my point of view.
Before I examine evidence and give links, let me state my prior assumptions: First, that the changing demographic composition of the U.S. makes this the most appropriate time to make a major technology upgrade to healthcare. The retiring Baby Boomers (perhaps too aware of surface healthcare issues and perhaps a bit too worried about them) desperately need remote healthcare to avoid clogging up the physical plant of the healthcare system. The desire for assisted living by the Greatest Generation can better be met by remote monitoring and consultations. Meeting both of these 'patient' preferences head on could reduce inpatient and even outpatient admissions. Reducing admissions brings many, many big benefits--huge reduction in costs, blessed reduction in number of errors, lower need for capital expansion, and (importantly, but probably not something that is measured), lower external costs to families.
This is all before examing the potential effects of technology in record-keeping, staff communications, improved performance of wards and rooms, better prescribing practices and avoidance of both over-medicating and conflictual medicating, facilities maintenance, etc. And it is also before examining the potential for technology to help detect, delay and treat medical conditions.
You can see it's a big subject. In 2007, the U.S. spent $2.26 trillion on health care, or $7,439 per person. That's two thirds of the entire GDP of China. It's big enough that small improvements are worth pursuing, and large improvements amount to a holy grail. Currently, a large part of this comes from American companies, a tax on employment that makes them a) less likely to hire new workers and b) less competitive in the world-wide market place. There's a reason car companies have plants in Canada--the Canadian government pays the healthcare insurance costs, not the car companies.
Companies that can provide technology to make these improvements will not just save money for consumers, governments and insurance companies. They will also succeed themselves, and will become additional engines for economic growth--much of it by selling their solutions to the rest of the world.
Armed with these prejudices, let's survey the field. Okay, in the next few posts. It is Saturday morning...
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