How the Internet has Changed Healthcare
Health care is a very important sector of the economy, since it deals with human life. Additionally, technology change has led to greater strides in the health care systems of the United States and many other parts of the world. Initially, it was not easy for any person to access the Internet, since it was limited to certain populace only. However, today most people are able to use Internet and this has changed the health care sector in the economy of various countries drastically. Notably, in the United States and other parts of the world doctors now use Internet for research purposes, so that they could acquire new information about certain diseases.
This paper analyzes the impacts of the Internet on the US health care system, as well as health care systems of other countries. Additionally, the paper analyzes the future expectations for the health care sector and the role of Internet in it.
Firstly, the Internet has changed the marketing techniques used in the health care sector, and helped to attract more customers. Notably, health care facilities are places where people who are patients can get appropriate medical help and care. Regarding that, there are two types of health care facilities, one that is private and one that is public health care. According to Bastable (2008), the two types of health care facility provide medical assistance, but they have different objectives. Public health care facilities mostly aim at providing service to people who need medical help, while the private health care facilities aim at providing service and making profits. This implies that they have to advertise their health care centers so that they could attract more consumers. Initially, it took many efforts to advertise their services, since the initial costs invested were huge. However, the Internet has changed the situation and now they are able to easily advertise their services, which, in turn, leads to the growth of the health care sector.
Secondly, the Internet has played a major role in saving the lives of many patients in the United States and all over the world. Today, most doctors use the Internet for research purposes, so that they could get more information concerning certain diseases that have recently emerged and were assumed to be incurable. Roussel (2011) affirms that there has been a rise in the number of the health care sites that provide detailed information about different types of diseases and the medication used to cure those. On such websites, doctors may learn how to handle patients affected by unique ailments. With this knowledge from the Internet, doctors have managed to save many lives that people thought would be impossible to save.
Lastly, the Internet has changed the health care in a way that it enables consumers or the patients to conduct their own research and weigh out their options. Notably, there is a rise in competition in the health care sector, as many health care facilities are now fighting for the available consumers. In relation to that, the patients must conduct their research to know which health care provides the best services in comparison to other options available on the market. This research is conducted on-line via the Internet and has played a big role in the growth of the health care sector.
In conclusion, health care is an important sector of the economy, since it deals with the human life. The developments in the health care sector ensure that more human lives are secure. Internet has changed the health care sector in many ways. Notably, the doctors began to conduct their research on-line. The Internet has played a major role in saving the lives of many patients in the United States and all over the world. Today, most doctors use the Internet for research purposes so that they could learn more information about certain diseases that have recently emerged and were assumed to be incurable.
