As the ‘Boomer cataclysm’ hits - and I do mean cataclysm- there
will six major changes:
1.
The very number of Boomers that hit the
retirement path will bring new and increased attention to the state of and the
processes of our health care system. Until now the issues have been in a bit of
a back seat as Boomers continued in the workforce. That will change
exponentially going forward. And, just like every other social issue that the
Boomer generation addressed along their way, they will re-write it. They will
change the paradigm. They will force a new dialogue and wrest control from the
hands of Congress, Government Administrators, Insurance companies and Drug
companies. They will force a re-write of
the ACA and the health care business model to make sense to them and their new
found circumstance. Their numbers will overwhelm current ‘policy’ – at the rate
of 10,000 joining their ranks every day, and they will do it quicker than we
think.
2.
States
and local towns and communities will be overwhelmed with the demands on
first responders, EMTs, Fire departments and emergency rooms. Establishing
strategic programs to aggressively manage preventable admissions and reduce
re-admissions will be a necessity. This will require a cost effective method –a
system- to maintain electronic oversight on the elderly who are aging at home.
Enhanced communications that monitors well-being will be mandated.
3.
Telecom
companies will be required to up their game in offering rural
communications. No longer will they be able to or permitted to ‘cherry pick’ service
only the lucrative population centers they wish to serve. What good are
technologies like telehealth and telepresence if you don’t have a connection?
4.
The attitude towards the use of technology in
health care – especially home care services- will change from one of ‘well, not
really’ to that of a ‘must have’. If
labor costs and models are going to become more productive than technology will
be the productivity lever as it has in every industry.
5.
Corporations will need to develop an enlightened
and engaged dialogue with employees that are ‘sandwiched’ between their jobs
and caring for aging parents. The answer will be found in providing technology driven connectivity - provided
as a benefit - that reduces absenteeism and unexpected work interruptions as
employees struggle with the demands of their jobs and the demands of their
aging parents.
6.
The full and free exchange of health records
will be torn out of the commercial arena and taken over totally by the government. Count on it! Commercial
gamesmanship with health care records will be eliminated.
