Healthcare and Workers Compensation Industry Trends

Paradigm Outcomes (http://www.paradigmcorp.com/) shares three trends in the U.S. having a large impact on the workplace and healthcare system – medical marijuana, the aging population and wearable technology. Medical marijuana is rising in popularity as long-held beliefs on its value are shifting, but it also raises questions for workers’ compensation. Employers use drug testing results to make decisions and workers under the influence of marijuana might cause unintended issues in the workplace. The aging population signifies an increase in healthcare services and higher labor costs. In the near future, people over 65 years old will outnumber those who are under 18. Baby boomers especially seem ill-prepared for retirement and plan to work as long as they can. Normal aging and potential disease can have a negative effect on employees’ responses to workplace hazards. Wearable technology in also on the rise with these devices monitoring health and fitness, which can help injured workers. We’re watching emerging healthcare tech trends that could help healthcare teams access and compare data to improve patient outcomes. Integrated healthcare technology offers an exciting future for even catastrophic healthcare, as long as privacy concerns are adequately addressed.