There is no question that the recent COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the US healthcare system, exposing its weak vulnerabilities and creating numerous challenges for its future. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), this is true for many countries around the world. The healthcare crisis has demonstrated how the vulnerabilities of healthcare systems have ultimately impacted health, economic progress, political trust, and social cohesion. Strengthening the capacity of the U.S. health system and its rapid and effective response to the viral threat was critical during the pandemic, but it may be equally important in the post-pandemic period.
Efforts have been made to prevent infections, develop, deliver, and administer COVID-19 vaccines, and ensure equitable access to vaccines and treatments across the country. However, despite significant progress in controlling the pandemic, the US healthcare system still faces many challenges. This crisis could be followed by other similar epidemics, and it remains to be seen whether the US healthcare system is now in better shape than before and more capable of facing them. The US health system is also facing a shortage of clinical staff, something that could make access to care even more difficult.
Moreover, new problems, such as Russia’s unjust war in Ukraine and rising inflation rates, are affecting not only the US economy, but also the personal finances of individuals who may need access to treatment and care.
Major Problems of the US Healthcare System
According to a recent study, Americans of various political stances, including those who are satisfied with their current insurance, believe that important changes to the healthcare system are still needed. People in the US think that healthcare should be more affordable for ordinary people. Half of those surveyed for the study also said that they have experienced serious financial difficulties because of medical care or know someone to whom this has happened. Preventable medical errors, poor amenable mortality rates, and a significant lack of transparency are among the critical issues that Americans face when it comes to healthcare.
These findings are also supported by a recent McKinsey study, which suggests that large scale innovation is needed to fill the gaps in healthcare and reshape its future. According to the article, a number of issues, including affordability challenges, access issues, clinical workforce shortages, and the recent healthcare crisis, have already set the stage for a “gathering storm.” This potential crisis could impact the entire US healthcare industry, putting nearly half of its profits at risk. According to McKinsey experts, this industry is currently facing numerous risks, but these risks also present new opportunities that might change the future of healthcare as we know it.
“Innovative models exist and, if scaled up, could deliver the $1 trillion improvement,” they add, providing hope that American companies and policymakers could collaborate not only to solve the current problems, but also to rebuild the future of US healthcare.
Positive Signals and Investment in Healthcare
The Biden-Harris Administration has recently announced that it will invest $225 million from the American Rescue Plan to train over 13,000 Community Health Workers (CHWs). According to the White House, these funds are expected to deploy more than 40,000 individuals in community health, outreach, and health education roles over the next few years. This new investment represents an expansion of the plan that originally included roughly 50,000 CHWs who were already serving American communities even before the healthcare crisis. With the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacting the health workforce, this is a much-needed solution to support health workers, prevent new problems, and address existing disparities.
President Joe Biden believes it is extremely important to invest in a modern public health workforce, and the current administration has already promised Americans that it will work to develop and expand the community healthcare workforce. However, there are still many challenges when it comes to sustaining the progress made to date and building a brighter future in healthcare. According to the recent announcement, the American Rescue Plan is designed to build the healthcare system during the pandemic and in its aftermath. The purpose of this investment is to solidify other significant achievements in healthcare, such as the deployment of more than 14,000 community outreach workers to build confidence in the vaccine, or the overall process of recruiting, training, and supporting healthcare professionals.
“I will do everything in my power to ensure that all Americans have access to the quality, affordable health care they deserve – and the peace of mind it brings,” President Biden promised last year. By investing in community health and health education, he is sending another positive signal that the future of US healthcare will be better than its present.
