Health Care Management—Current State And Future Trends

Abstract

Health care delivery systems throughout the world have undergone significant changes in the past few decades. These changes have been driven—at least partly—by the recent advances in medical science and the emergence and subsequent adoption of new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. In addition, growing populations, population aging, changes in disease prevalence have led to increased health service utilization (Walburg et al., 2006; Blumenthal, 2009; Walshe & Smith, 2011). The several changes in the health care environment were accompanied by changes in models of health care delivery and organization and in patient utilization patterns, all of which led to substantial increases in health care costs. All these factors call for more effective and more efficient health care management practices (Fisher et al., 2009; Van Herck et al., 2010; Walshe & Smith, 2011). In addition, there are rising demands—further backed by governments, non-governmental organizations, and the media— for greater accountability and better health care service. At the same time, there has been a fall in the implicit trust patients have always had in medical professionals, which can be attributed, at least in part, to the high-profile scandals and failures in a number of health care systems around the world. Also, the increased media coverage and the rise of the Internet as a new mass medium have certainly accelerated the change. Patients, in many parts of the world, call for a greater role in their own health care, greater choice, and more involvement in decisions relating to their treatment. There is now a growing global trend toward reduced professional power and autonomy and a rise in managerialism and clinical governance (Marshall & Campbell, 2002; Buttell et al., 2008). These manifestations are considered to be part of a bigger picture comprising economic and social changes and are often linked to the wider movement and culture of consumerism. A number of forces have contributed to the rise of consumerism in health care including the demographic shifts and changes in populations, the increasing concerns about patient safety, and the relatively higher availability of medical knowledge to the public (Walburg et al., 2006; Ovretveit, 2009; Calnan, 2010; Walshe & Smith, 2011; Ewert & Evers, 2012). There are now raised expectations of greater transparency and more information about health care services, improved health