Technology in health care has made it possible for patients to use devices to access their medical information, monitor vital signs, take tests at home, and carry out a plethora of other tasks that could only previously be conducted inside the doctor’s office (Topol, 2013). This enhanced technology is one of the many reasons that there has been a shift from inpatient to outpatient care. Although patients have benefited greatly from health care technology, there are also downsides to technology, such as how it has affected the cost of care.

Provide a definition of outpatient care.
Discuss 2–3 ways in which technological innovations have impacted, or will impact, the delivery of care in the United States.
Discuss 2–3 ways in which technology has had, or is expected to have, a detrimental impact on the delivery of care.