The Future Challenges for Health Care Management (Essay Sample)

THE FUTURE CHALLENGES FOR HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT
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The Future Challenges for Health Care Management
Global policy makers are optimistic about the future of the health care and its management. In both developing and developed countries, the healthcare sector covers an approximate 8 percent to 15 percent of their respective economies. This makes it one of the principal industries in the globe. However, there exist possible future challenges likely to frustrate efforts meant to normalize the healthcare management. All developed countries’ health care systems experience four main challenges, namely demographic shift, the pace of technological innovation, change of user and consumer expectations and escalating costs because of the economic recession.
Technological innovations increase the ability to control chronic diseases and results to prolonged life. Such innovations in pharmaceuticals, surgery, and diagnostics improve ways to cure or manage diseases pose challenges in the healthcare management. This is because of the possible new treatments that are usually expensive than existing ones. Managers face the difficulties in reducing the costs of innovations and treatment expenses while maintaining or improving the expected revenue. In addition, medical personnel discover new therapies for diseases and medical conditions that were previously untreatable. However, it becomes ever more difficult to manage new medical conditions that require continued research and innovations.
The demographic challenge results from an increase in the number of the elderly people globally. The majority of the elderly population uses heavier and demanding healthcare systems and services. The rate of sustaining the health of the elderly increases daily. Treatment of their complex and chronic health conditions becomes expensive. In addition, wider populations, especially in developed countries have acquired chronic diseases that require continuous management. According to the World Health Organization, the increase in the chronic diseases is attributed to drug use, especially tobacco and alcohol, and physical inactivity and unhealthy diets.
Dynamism in user and consumer expectations is the second future challenge facing the healthcare management. Today, people expect more from the healthcare sector as compared to several years back. Further, patients are not satisfied to be passive recipients of the health care. Instead, they demand the provision of services at their convenience. There is increased choice and sovereignty in decisions about different aspects of an individual’s health. Patients expect to be informed, consulted, and involved by healthcare providers. Other patients demand the newest and expensive treatments for their conditions. Such changes in consumer expectations frustrate the management of the healthcare sector.
Increasing costs in the healthcare sectors are the third challenge to the management of the health care sector. There is more pressure in healthcare funding, in both developing and developed countries than before. The global economic recession also increases the pressure related to the costs, expenses, and productivity. Increased consumer demand, medical innovations and increased population and demand for health services also result in increased costs in the health care sector. In some countries, rising costs results to rationing of availability of services. This affects health care service delivery to people and affects the running of the major departments in the healthcare sector.
The social and monetary contexts in which healthcare organizations and their management exist are hostile, dynamic, and difficult. Healthcare ...