Margaret O'Kane Predicts How Managed Care Will Change in 20 Years

Given how much technology will evolve over the next 20 years, predicting the future of healthcare is almost impossible, but Margaret O'Kane, MHA, president of the National Committee for Quality Assurance, expects big things from telemedicine and predicts new investigations in motivating patients to take control of their own wellness.

Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

What do you expect to see in managed care over the next 20 years?

I think that I can't even tell you about what we're going to see in managed care or in all healthcare over the next 20 years, because we can't even imagine all of the new technology that will be possible. But I think some of the things that we see today are telemedicine—I think the idea that people will be able to treated in their home is very, very powerful; doctors can take a look at your rash online and you wouldn't have to come in. There's so much that can be done. Payment reform is crucial for this, because as long as you get paid for a visit, you will have a visit.

I think that there is a whole lot of new investigation of how to motivate patients toward their own wellness. It's kind of principles of behavioral economics: we've had a rationalist model of "if people know that something's good for them, then they'll do it." Well it's very clear that when we look at health behaviors that it isn't that simple and we need to understand how to help people help themselves.