Final answer:
Healthcare's future challenges include the need for blockchain to secure EHRs, the requirement for interoperability under the 21st Century Cures Act, and the high error rates in patient identity matching. These issues are complicated by legal standards like HIPAA, and they intersect with the ACA's cost-control efforts like the mandate for EMRs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Three current developments in health care that will continue to be future challenges include:
- Blockchain as a trend in protecting unauthorized access to patient Electronic Health Records (EHRs) will be increasingly important as the healthcare industry seeks to secure sensitive data and enhance patient privacy.
- The 21st Century Cures Act will continue to challenge health care providers with its mandate for interoperability, requiring seamless data sharing across various health platforms to enhance care coordination and patient outcomes.
- The ongoing challenge of patient identity matching, which involves accurately linking patients with their medical records, will persist due to its high error rates and significant implications for patient safety and privacy.
Each of these areas carries its own set of questions that need to be addressed regarding balancing treatment costs, patient quality of life, and privacy risks. Legal considerations, such as those arising from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), complicate these situations by setting high standards for the protection and confidentiality of patient information. Additionally, the healthcare industry's drive towards efficiency, including the adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs), telemedicine, and artificial intelligence, continues to reshape the landscape and presents ongoing challenges for the sector.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has also imposed regulations to curb healthcare costs, such as administrative cost caps and the shift to EMRs, which play a role in the evolving health care challenges.