Read the PWC trends in Healthcare for 2018 posted in Week 8

PWC Trends in Healthcare
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PWC Trends in Healthcare
Opioid Crisis
The opioid crisis is one of the major concerns in the healthcare industry. Opioids are prescription pain relievers that include fentanyl, tramadol, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. A healthcare provider can give opioids to reduce pain after an injury. However, some of the patients fail to adhere to the prescription of physicians. Opioid crises are some of the significant areas of interest because of the increasing addiction cases that influence patients to seek help. Hospital-based treatment, counseling/behavioral therapies, and medication therapies are some of the conventional treatments for opioid misuse and addiction. Notably, methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine are some of the common drugs for treating opioid abuse.
Research illustrates that people succumb to death because of a drug overdose, majority of which involve opioids. Notably, opioid epidemics are prevalent across different sociodemographic groups and lifespan. However, the prevalence of addiction is quite high among vulnerable groups, such as those living in economically depressed areas. Over the years, researchers have explored statistics regarding the misuse of prescription opioids and the main risk factors for opioid-related harms (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017). The United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) exercises its authority in regulating the various pharmaceutical opioid products. Besides, during mid-to-late 1990s, the medical prescriptions for opioids increased rapidly. Conversely, mortality rates resulting from opioids overdose are relatively high among males aged above fifty. Medical practitioners offer effective treatments for chronic pain and even bolster patient’s management.
Medicare Advantage Growth
Medicare is one of the federal health insurance programs that expedite the provision of health coverage among citizens. Disability and age are the eligibility requirements for the cover. Notably, Medicare Advantage insurers added a total of 1.4 million members to the roster for the 2019 health coverage. However, Advantage membership grew at a slower rate as compared to the...