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Senior healthcare leaders from 14 countries say strengthening resilience and preparing for future crises is a top priority, according to a new report commissioned by Royal Philips.<\/p>\n
The pandemic has seen many countries shift from in-person medical consultations to telemedicine, using apps, phone and video appointments. Industry analyst IDC predicts that by 2023 nearly two-thirds of patients will have accessed healthcare via a digital front end<\/a>.<\/p>\n Taking telemedicine beyond the pandemic<\/b><\/p>\n Improving resilience and planning for future crises is the top priority for more than two-thirds of senior healthcare leaders surveyed, with France, the Netherlands and Germany scoring the highest. Second in line is the continued shift to remote and virtual care (42%), led by India, the Netherlands and the US.<\/p>\n Accordingly, 64% of healthcare leaders are investing heavily in digital health technology at the moment, but the number drops to 40% when they were asked about their investment levels in three years\u2019 time. This may be because respondents expect solid foundations to have been laid by then or due to continued uncertainty about healthcare funding beyond the pandemic.<\/p>\n A major focus for future health technology investments is the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. <\/p>\n At present 19% of healthcare leaders polled by Royal Philips said they are prioritizing investments in AI but 37% said they plan to do so over the next three years. The aim is to have AI help with clinical decision-making and to predict clinical outcomes. <\/p>\n This ties in with a growing shift from volume-based care targets to value-based care, where predicting patient outcomes will play a key role.<\/p>\n In value-based healthcare models,<\/a> providers get paid for improving health outcomes rather than for the volume of patients treated. The focus is on treating illnesses and injuries more quickly and avoiding chronic conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. The results are better health outcomes and lower costs for both the healthcare system and the patient, thanks to fewer doctor\u2019s visits, tests, interventions and prescriptions.<\/p>\n IDC has forecast that by 2026 two-thirds of medical imaging processes will use AI to detect diseases <\/a>and guide treatment. A growing number of healthcare leaders believe that investing in AI technology is important for the future of their medical facility, according to the Royal Philips report.<\/p>\n<\/a>The top priorities are preparing to respond to crises and facilitating a shift to remote\/virtual care. Image: Royal Philips, 2021<\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/assets.weforum.org\/editor\/HvKtBrp06beiKIeNGv9xiRueENrx1ZGk9I0AYchwiYw.PNG\")
<\/a>People may expect telehealth foundations to have been laid three years from now, which would require less spending. Image: Royal Philips, 2021<\/p>\n
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<\/a>The forecast level of healthcare leaders’ belief that investment in predictive technologies will prepare their healthcare facility for the future. Image: Royal Philips, 2021Discover<\/p>\n