3 Health Care Trends That Don’t Hinge on the ACA

While the fate of the U.S health care bill is in flux, there are three immutable trends in the US healthcare system that won’t change. The first trend is demographic: The US population is continuing to age. Second, technology has become a pervasive element across health care system, with a major impact on diagnosis, treatment and communications. Third, discoveries in the life sciences that enhance the quality and extend the length of life will continue to flow from research laboratories. As a result, businesses that help patients to understand, access and use the healthcare system; that allow older patients to receive high-quality care while remaining in place; and that expand the capabilities and reach of electronic health records and digital health applications will benefit. Regardless of how the law evolves, tremendous opportunities will remain in these areas for consumers, medical providers, healthcare payers, and investors to shape and improve the health care system.