Monday, December 19, 2016
A panel of experts came together on Channel NewsAsia’s Perspectives program, to discuss the current landscape and what the future of healthcare will look like in the years to come.
Mr Diederik Zeven, General Manager, Health Systems, Philips ASEAN Pacific, kicked off the discussion by highlighting the pressing healthcare needs caused by an ageing population in our society today.
This longer life expectancy alongside a rise in chronic diseases translates to an added strain on our healthcare resources – more patients now require medical diagnosis, long-term treatments and ongoing monitoring for their medical conditions. To meet these challenges and optimize our healthcare resources, we need to take a holistic and integrated approach to health in order to provide better care and to achieve better outcomes at a lower cost.
The Integration of Healthcare Systems through technology
In a recent Philips global study – the Future Health Index (FHI) – which explores how 13 countries around the world are positioned to meet longterm global health challenges. The study shows that despite progress towards universal medical records in some countries, the majority of patients (74%) report having to repeat the same information to multiple healthcare professionals, and over half have had to repeatedly take the same medical tests. The implementation of digital technology and connected care will facilitate the sharing of data across diff erent parts of the healthcare system and help streamline the processes in our healthcare delivery model.
"Integration of Healthcare Systems is about innovation; including business innovation, social innovation, and in particular technological innovation.“ Mr Zeven
In Singapore, more than one in ten (12.5%) patients discharged from a hospital were admitted again within 30 days in 2015.i These readmissions have put even more strain on our healthcare resources. As the population grows older, a hospital-centric healthcare delivery model will no longer be sustainable in the long run. “When you want to reduce the cost of acute care, you have to prevent acute events. We can do that by monitoring patients remotely from their homes on a day-to-day basis. We educate individuals to manage their illnesses and make it part of their lives. This is an effort to keep them out of the emergency room,” said Mr Zeven. The approach of combining the use of telehealth, case management, monitoring, education and coaching has proven to be effective in reducing emergency admissions.ii It also helps healthcare professionals make better decisions by providing them with the right information, at the right time.
Who is responsible for your health?
The panelists also debated on who should take responsibility for the management of one’s health. While the government is a major stakeholder, the panelists also agreed that individuals should also take greater ownership of their own health.
To help change people’s mindsets – from relying on the government to proactively working to stay healthy, Dr Susann Roth, Senior Social Development Specialist, Asian Development Bank, pointed out that it is essential for governments to ensure access to healthcare and other essential factors of preventive healthcare such as healthy food choices and facilities for exercise. “You need a very strong policy from the government to create a healthy environment,” she said.
Adding to her point, Dr Khoo Kah Siang, President, Life Insurance Association of Singapore, said that the diff erent stakeholders have important roles to play as well, and that it should be a collective effort. “I believe that the government and employers do have a big role to play. Because most of us spend 8 to 9 hours at work, 5 days a week or even more. As a result, the employer has to create the right environment for people who want to build the right habit to become healthy.” said Dr Khoo.
Despite the many challenges, Mr Zeven asserted that the future of healthcare is still bright. With digital technology as a key enabler, the public and private sectors can work together to improve the quality of patient care and empower patients to better manage your own health.
