AHA: Low-impact, tech-friendly care coming

According to a recent report from the American Hospital Association, future patient care delivery should be more mobile, lower-impact and even more technologically driven then it has been in the past. Patients are opting for ambulatory care as opposed to receiving treatment in a traditional inpatient setting. Minimally invasive procedures are growing in popularity, particularly because of the short recovery time, which is much easier on the patient and doesn't generate the costs involved in a long hospital recovery. Advancements in genomics could lead to hospitals with labs that perform interventional services and work with pharmacists to determine the best medications for patients. Early diagnosis is a trend that will continue to flourish, though medical professionals must be mindful of cost effectiveness and cautious not to over-diagnose patients.

On the technology side of things, robotics should play an growing part in the way physicians perform minimally invasive procedures. Robots will also be used in hospitals to correctly determine prescription dosage and even to perform rounds to check up on patients. Finally, healthcare IT will play an increasingly important role by both improving quality of care and decreasing costs.

- read this article from the American Hospital Association