Our previous two articles discussed the “New Rules” that will drive the post-healthcare reform system in America, all of which are expected to have a significant effect on physicians. To date, we’ve looked at the upcoming changes in “Physician Compensation” and “Administering a Private Practice”.

The Obama Administration has explicitly stated in a recent article in the Annals of Internal Medicine that “physicians will need to embrace rather than resist change”. Now more than ever, it is time for all physicians to challenge what they’ve believed to be true about practicing medicine and adapt to a new reality.

This is the third in a four part series of blogs that will discuss the new rules on four dimensions of physician life:

Physician Compensation
Managing a Private Practice
Changing Patient Demographics and Attitudes
Physician Career Satisfaction

Here are a few of the most obvious changes ahead related to Patient Demographics and Attitudes:

Patient Demographics and Attitudes

Old Rule: Patients used physicians as their primary source of health information

New Rule: Many patients now think they know more than their doctor about their illness. Some do… but most are relying on sketchy information from the internet or friends. Physicians of the future will be required to have a more broad understanding of multiple treatment and preventative strategies.

Old Rule: Physicians focused their practice on the treatment of disease. (fixing problems)

New Rule: Most patients now understand that that their lifestyle is a major contributor to their health problems (though they still may not want to change). They are looking for their doctors to supply this information. Physicians of the future will give their patients access to preventative health support and even find ways to generate revenue from it for the practice

Old Rule: Patients expected less from their doctor. They accepted the fact that they would live with illness and die at some point.

New Rule:  Baby Boomers (the next upcoming high utilization group) expect to live forever and believe they have the right and the resources to make it happen. They expect their physicians to be miracle workers and will demand the best care.

Old Rule: Patients were willing to take drugs to treat their conditions.

New Rule : Most of today’s diseases require a lifetime of medication. A growing number of patients are more educated about their disease and the adverse affects of medications and are looking for safer alternatives. They are looking to their physician for these alternative answers. Smart physicians will give patients choices.

Old Rule: Physicians could approach their training and career using one treatment model.

New Rule: Healthcare knowledge is advancing rapidly and patients are becoming more educated about health. They are expecting their physicians to be familiar with the treatment approaches they hear about, all the way from traditional medical model approaches to alternative medicine strategies. Increasingly, practices will include providers from various healing modalities.

Old Rule: It was frowned upon for physicians to sell other products and services to patients

New Rule: “Retail medicine” is here and patients like it! Patients want their physicians to be “one-stop” shops. They want convenience and a physician who can give them what they want, including healthy lifestyle advice, alternative treatment strategies, DME, pharma, lab, etc.

Summary

America is in the midst of a dramatic demographic shift. Three hundred Americans turn sixty every hour. The Baby Boomer generation presents an abundance of new demands on doctors and the healthcare system. Smart physicians will diversify their practices based on these emerging trends.

For more visit: http://www.physiciantrends.com or go to http://www.hna-net.com and click the blogs tab at the top of the page.

Related Demographics Articles