Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/568709
67 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Q: If you could fix one thing about health- care tomorrow, what would it be? AB: Payment reform. I would align payment much more toward improving social determinants of care (access to care, housing, food, transportation, social support, health literacy and environment). Health systems today are not providing care early enough because we have both legal impediments and financial disincentives to deal with the aforementioned social determinants of health. Q: What is your vision for healthcare delivery in 2030? AB: I believe technology is going to continue to accelerate and miniaturize by 2030. I expect each person to use anywhere from 10 to 20 embedded intelligent processors related to their health. e advent of FitBit and other devices that have shown quick adoption will lead the way to anything from processors that test for levels like blood sugar and subsequently dispense medica- tions, to things such as Google Glass and other tools for patients. In addition, I believe we will move from region- al health information networks to a national health information network that will make EHRs available anywhere in the U.S., giving patients a good snapshot of their healthcare wherever they need it. Most of the primary care will be moved to self- care and guided-care. Self-care is how you normally take care of yourself when you have a cold: ere will be incentives for you not to utilize healthcare services unless you actually need them. Guided-care is what most people in this country experience in the first 10 years of life when their moms take care of them. Moms are guided by a pediatrician but once they un- derstand how the child reacts to certain things, they are able to provide most of the care. at will also translate to many more interactions than happen to- day. ese interactions will be prompted by members of the care team, rather than the patient. Now, patients call a physician to make an ap- pointment. at will be replaced by medical parapro- fessionals, health coaches, navigators, coordinators, social workers and pharmacists reaching out to the patient through email, texts, prompts, visits and videoconferencing, and their goal will be to help the patient maintain health rather than ameliorate illness. Finally, regenerative medicine will improve so patients will be able to have organs grown for them and prosthesis will achieve near-equivalency, meaning someone who loses their arm may have a prosthetic arm that is close to equivalency. Q: What other major trends are you seeing in healthcare? AB: ere will be more consolidation of insurance companies. We will start to see more employer-spon- sored clinics, many more apps for self and guided care, and I think we will see retail medicine and tele- medicine become more available. Patients will be able to get care on their terms when they want it, how they want and where they want it. We're going to move from saying, "e doctor will see you now," to "Doc- tor, the patient will see you now." n " " Most of the primary care will be moved to self-care and guided-care.