Lancaster Physician Spring 2020 - 29

SPRING 2020

Perspectives

Preparing the Next Generation

of Physicians
BY SUSAN SHELLY

xactly what health care will look like in another decade or two
is difficult to predict, but it seems certain that it will look very
different than it does today.

The use of telemedicine is on the rise, and expectations of patients are
changing rapidly as a result. As patients are able to connect electronically
from any location with health care providers, who often can diagnose
and prescribe care without the need for an office visit, patient-provider
relationships are evolving.
Many health care providers and policymakers are predicting that telemedicine and virtual care will be in the spotlight as the medical field
seeks to keep up with patients affected by the outbreak of the novel
coronavirus, COVID-19.
Telemedicine may take center stage, but other technological advances
are changing the look of health care, as well. Online portals enable
patients to schedule their own visits and be in touch with physicians at
any time with questions or concerns. Text messaging is being used to
remind patients of appointments and facilitate communication between
them and their doctors.
With the advent of retail clinics and urgent care centers, the role of
primary care physicians is changing. More than 12,000 of these facilities are located throughout the country, providing walk-in care for
non-emergency conditions. Meanwhile, office visits to primary care

LANCASTER

physicians decreased 18 percent between 2012 and 2016, according
to the Health Care Cost Institutes.
And, medical systems across the country are increasingly incorporating
artificial intelligence (AI) into their practices to improve patient outcomes.
Lancaster Physician reached out to representatives of Penn State Health,
WellSpan Health, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, UPMC
Pinnacle, and Eye Associates of Lancaster to learn how they are changing-or anticipating changing-the way they deliver health care. We
also asked them how the roles of physicians are changing within this
ever-changing landscape.
Penn State Health
More than 12,000 people have downloaded the Penn State Health
OnDemand app since it was introduced in August 2018. Its popularity
continues to increase, according to Christopher LaCoe, vice president
of operations at Penn State Health.
Connecting with Penn State Health OnDemand gives patients the ability
to use a smartphone, tablet, or computer to connect with a doctor at
any time to discuss common medical conditions.

Continued on page 30

PHYSICIAN

Lancaster Physician Spring 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lancaster Physician Spring 2020