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I am part of the Baby Boom generation. With a PhD in engineering, I like to "engineer" my own health care, but I'm finding a lot of resistance from the medical community. Will the new health care agenda from the Obama administration change how medical care is provided in this country?

There are many expectations of the upcoming health care reform package. Experts offer a wide range of opinions about what to expect, when to expect it, and why. One large group of consumers who plan to change the way health care is conducted is the Baby Boomers. The Baby Boom generation includes adults who were born between 1946 and 1964. This group of nearly 64 million people have reached (or will soon reach) the age of 65 and join the ranks of Medicare recipients. As a whole, this group expects individualized care based on research evidence. Like you, they expect a patient-centered process that involves them and offers specific information about their condition. They want to know the benefits of suggested care, the chances of complications, and the expected outcomes or results. Shared decisions about medical care is welcomed by many health care professionals. It is expected to help improve patient compliance (cooperation in following professional advice). Over time, increased patient understanding of their own health may yield better choices and improved health.

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