US Surgical Procedures Expected to Reach 1.28 Million by 2028: How Will The Healthcare System Cope?
US Surgical Procedures Expected to Reach 1.28 Million by 2028: How Will The Healthcare System Cope?
The US healthcare system should complete 1.28 million surgical procedures by 2028 yearly. It needs to prepare for the surge in demand - something hospitals aren't always the best at doing. These expected changes present unique difficulties and opportunities for the healthcare industry.
Below, we'll talk about how hospitals and medical centres can cope with the rising demand for procedures - or, should we say, necessity rather than demand.
Improving Healthcare Infrastructure
One of the main areas that will receive attention when dealing with increased surgeries involves expanding or upgrading current facilities for more patients who may require complex operations. That may include setting up additional operating rooms or post-operative care units while improving patient recovery areas.
As well as increasing capacity, such improvements are necessary if we want things to run smoothly during surgery, thereby reducing wait times and enhancing general patient flow throughout hospitals.
Tools for Efficiency
With increased surgical workload management being a priority, integrating advanced technology and tools in practice plays a significant role. Here are some examples:
Imaging Machinery: Pre-surgical planning could be accelerated using advanced imaging tools like MRI scanners, improving. Operating rooms with more built-in scanning could improve efficiency and outcomes.
Observation Machines: There should be real-time monitoring devices that track vital signs together with other critical metrics, thus heightening safety levels among patients during periods around procedures.
Surgical Retractors: Surgeons need better visibility into operative areas with more space - the fewer people and tools, the less chance of human error and infection. Well designed retractors for surgery are the perfect example.
By doing so, operational efficiencies within healthcare organisations could be improved, leading to faster treatment and better outcomes.
Cost-cutting with strategic investments
Since surgeries are going up, cost control becomes essential. That means investing in more cost-effective tools to improve patient care and outcomes in these surgeries. We're talking tools made from better but high-quality materials, patient observation machines and attachments that actually work, and better aftercare packs to reduce patient re-attendance numbers.
Bulk purchases can lead to economies of scale where high-demand items are involved, saving money over time and reducing the frequency of replacement due to wear and tear because of the quality. Minimally invasive surgical techniques could also help reduce healthcare costs through shorter hospital stays and lower postoperative complications.
Training More Surgeons
The health care system will only cope with these many surgeries with training and additional surgical personnel, hence the need for massive recruitment and development programmes. It's no secret that the US and the UK are struggling with staffing issues. In the US, it's estimated there will be a shortage of nurses by 195,00 nurses by 2031. According to Science Direct, there’s specifically a shortage of over 100,000 physicians in the US. In the UK, there are already 110,781 vacancies.
Without the staffing, it will be almost impossible to complete the increasing number of procedures. Or, at least, they won't be able to complete them without making errors.
Continuous professional training and the latest tools would ensure staff's effectiveness in dealing with new machines, procedures, etc. Improved staffing level management and teamwork in operating rooms are also essential to improve efficiency while addressing different challenges.
The US expects a sizeable increase in operations by 2028. Do you think it will be able to cope with it? The statistics in the introduction might make you think otherwise. Still, innovation in medicine is seeking to choose those figures - but it's a question of whether it actually does.