ABSTRACT

This chapter identifies recent clinical advancements and technologies linked to improving health. It provides the types of service now being offered in ambulatory and outpatient facilities: cancer treatment, diagnostic imaging, kidney dialysis, rehabilitative services, urgent care, sports medicine, certain surgeries, and wellness and preventive medicine services. The chapter explains the problems concerning the future of long-term care. It also examines the factors related to the obesity epidemic in the United States. Technology is offering clinical advancements for the future at an extremely fast rate. They include the growing of organs, artificial organs, tumor testing, immune therapies for cancer, cellphone applications for better health, odor-sensing devices used to diagnose cancer, and saliva testing to determine the presence of cancer. Obesity legislation is designed similarly to tobacco legislation: to reduce the number of diseases and deaths caused by obesity, and to reduce the huge impact of treatment costs upon the health care system.