Health Care Industry In the last 10 years, health care has changed dramatically. Technology has taken over in many ways, and a lot of doctors now have their patients' records all stored electronically (St. Sauver, et al., 2013). While convenient, there are risks. Another way health care has changed over the last decade is through the survival rates for things like cancer and heart disease (Tulenko, 2009). These are still serious and life threatening illnesses, but many more people are living through them today because of the advances in treatments, medications, and technology that have made it easier to prevent and treat specific diseases and conditions. It is fascinating to see how well something can be addressed today that only a decade ago might have been a diagnosis with little to no hope attached to it. Doctors and nurses play big roles in health care, but there has also been a shift in the last 10 years to some alternative forms of medicine, as well. Additionally, more doctors are avoiding general practice and going into a specialty, making it harder for people who need generalized treatment to find a doctor who can help them (Christensen & Gronvall, 2011).

The next decade will bring big changes in health care, with the most substantial being Obamacare. There are many who are all for the law and many who oppose it vehemently, but until it has been available for some time there is little way to determine how well (or poorly) it will really do. Other changes in the next decade will include continued advances in medication and treatments, along with more home care and alternative options, especially as the baby boomer generation grows older and needs more medical care (St. Sauver, et al., 2013; Christensen & Gronvall, 2011). Without more options for care and enough doctors and nurses to help them, the baby boomer generation may really be left struggling with some of the problems older age often brings.

My role in the health care industry will be important because there will be a need for new doctors and nurses to replace those who are retiring or changing professions. Burnout is a real problem for many people in the health care field (St. Sauver, et al., 2013). With that in mind, I know I can provide help and hope to patients. If hospitals and other facilities are short-staffed, patients are at risk for simple problems that could otherwise be avoided, so I will do my part to help keep patients safe and secure simply by being available to them. Additionally, more health care personnel are needed because there are more people using the health care system (St. Sauver, et al., 2013). Between the aging baby boomers and the influx of people who will have insurance under Obamacare, there will be a lot more people to treat and they will need good services in order to get the care they deserve.

To evolve along with the industry's needs, I will adapt my skills by staying...

There are continuing education opportunities, and the chance to learn something is an everyday occurrence for people who are open minded and interested in the work they are doing. Since I enjoy learning, I feel I can evolve with the industry by paying close attention to how things are changing and adapting to those changes with a good attitude and a desire to learn new ways of doing things quickly and properly. That will help me, but it will also help the patients I work with and the other employees who will be relying on me to know how to do my job correctly. If I have not kept my skills up and have not evolved with the changing times and the industry, I could end up becoming a liability instead of an asset. I do not want that to be the case, so I will make every effort to ensure that my skills become better with time and that I focus on the future and the new opportunities that a changing industry can bring. This is an exciting time for health care, and a lot of different things are happening. I would not want to miss out on them.
Throughout my program, my perception of health care has changed because I really knew very little about it when I began the program. I knew that I wanted to help people, but did not know exactly how I was going to do that or what would be the best way to translate my desire to help into a career I would enjoy. I also see health care differently now because I have learned so much about how it really works and what it involves, which is quite different from what I thought or expected. I do not think that most people understand the inner workings of the health care system and how complicated it can really be just to try to help someone, but it can be a serious challenge to make sure people get the proper diagnoses and the care they really need, especially if they have an unusual case or they do not have insurance. While I understand the importance of getting paid for what I do, it is hard to think about the people who do not have insurance and cannot get good care because of that.

The most significant impact to me was when I came to terms with the idea that I will not be able to save everyone. Health care is an inexact science, and sometimes what works for one person will not work for another one. I had to realize that logically, but I also had to internalize it and become fully aware of it. All I can do is what I am capable of, and if that is not enough I cannot spend my life feeling guilty for that. There are other people who will need my care, and I would be doing them a disservice if I did not move forward to treat them because I was dwelling on what did not work out. That can be difficult, because I got into health care because I wanted to help people. Knowing that there are people I will not be able to help is not comfortable to me, but yet I understand that this is the case with everyone and that there will be a large number of people whose lives I will be able to touch in a positive way throughout my career. Remembering that has a big impact on me and also helps me to feel more secure in and better about my career choice.

Technology has a big role to play in the next 10 years of health care. It has already provided a lot of benefit to people who need treatments and tests. Diagnostics is an area where technology will really continue to make a difference (Tulenko, 2009). Without the imaging and other scanning abilities that are currently in use, many people would be misdiagnosed and could even die. As this technology continues to improve, more lives will be saved and more unnecessary treatments and medications can be avoided (St. Sauver, et al., 2013). That is very good news for the people who need the scans and treatment, but it is equally good news for the hospitals and medical centers where these scans take place, because they will be able to save a lot of money if they can see what the problem really is right away and avoid any extra treatments that are not necessary (St. Sauver, et al., 2013).

There are also many financial and economic issues that are affecting the health care industry, and these will be big players in the next decade. Obamacare will cost the country a lot of money,…