Future Health Index 2018 goes live

Faced with alarming demographic trends, increasing incidence of multiple chronic diseases and unsustainable cost explosion, healthcare stakeholders are in agreement that our global health systems are under extreme pressure. This is a crisis situation exacerbated by fundamental access constraints and prevailing unhealthy lifestyles in developing and industrialized countries.

As a priority, the global healthcare community is urgently seeking strategies and solutions to challenge this status quo – transforming from healthcare systems that are typified by silos and waste towards integrated, patient-centric and efficient care delivery models.

Digital innovation, adaptive intelligence and connected care are creating exciting new opportunities for transformation. Each apply data and mobile technologies to forge leaner and more accessible care pathways. And to channel these and other transformation efforts, the value-based healthcare model (which aspires for better outcomes and experiences, achieved at lower costs) is accepted as the most effective evaluation and implementation framework.

However, while there are a number of exciting projects and visible pockets of excellence, the urgent need for largescale and accelerated healthcare transformation only increases by the day. Yet, given the highly complex, fragmented and personal nature of healthcare, the risk is real that we spend too much time talking about the need for change, rather than taking action to develop and scale a future-fit approach.

Now in its third year, the 2018 Future Health Index is an attempt to address this state of affairs. While recognizing that there is no silver bullet or one-size-fits-all solution, this study assesses and compares the value being delivered by 16 key national health systems. Moreover, by taking into account how each of these health systems is evolving, the 2018 Future Health Index offers tangible next steps and recommendations towards the path to higher quality and more efficient healthcare.

The Future Health Index assesses three key measures in a health system’s ability to deliver value-based healthcare: access, satisfaction and efficiency. Access looks at how universal and affordable healthcare is, while satisfaction considers the perspective of healthcare professionals and the general population on a system’s performance and trustworthiness. Finally, efficiency evaluates a country’s relative spending on healthcare as a percentage of GDP.

Later this year, two further chapters will be published discussing the opportunities that look at how connected care technologies will drive the changes needed. And, more importantly, how the various challenges to adoption, implementation and change management can be overcome. But as the first look at our 2018 research findings, I hope that the new Future Health Index Value Measure and subsequent country conclusions act as a positive platform for change.

In my view, global improvements in access to care and the transformation of healthcare delivery remain major global challenges, and a critical step towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. As ever, I remain optimistic in the power of people and technology to positively change the way the world works. And I am convinced that through careful investments in continuous learning, innovation and collaboration, we can help build a healthier and more sustainable future. I hope that the Future Health Index can continue to galvanize and bring impetus to these efforts.

Jan Kimpen

Philips Chief Medical Officer, June 2018

Source: www.futurehealthindex.com