Reaching the right influencers at the right time with the right messages is key to achieving success in the healthcare market. The consensus is that health issues impact a wide range of economic and functional aspects of any economy which go way beyond the traditional view that health means hospitals.
The general concern for governments, health authorities and other stakeholders is meeting the continued increasing demand for healthcare services while also reducing costs. Healthcare systems around the world are under pressure to develop innovative and tech-based solutions that aim at improving the overall quality and delivery of care.
As the population gets older, with more chronic and lifestyle-related diseases, emerging market expansion, infrastructure improvements, as well as treatment and technology advances, the struggle continues to increase access and quality of care while managing spiraling costs.
Governments in the region need to tackle the growth in chronic diseases from both the treatment viewpoint, and prevention of common disease states like diabetes before they begin. The most common ones are chronic respiratory diseases, rising trends of cardiovascular ailments, lung cancer and diabetes.
At the same time, people are increasingly looking for new ways to proactively monitor and manage their health, a step that is driving the convergence of professional healthcare and consumer end-markets.
What this means, is a need to truly embrace innovation. GCC local authorities have looked into implementing new technologies, systems of care and introducing global healthcare providers and their capabilities to the region.
Understanding these new realities is important to achieving the desired results. Initiatives such as national awareness campaigns around healthy living and incorporating such programs in schools are a good way to start to change attitudes. However, there is room to do a lot more.
The healthcare conversation is shifting – more towards a holistic approach that includes technology as a key driver of change to focus on prevention, wellbeing and customizing the type and location of care to individual patients’ needs.
The transformation of the healthcare system through technology continues to bring more social well-being and economic prosperity to the region, and aims at bridging gaps in healthcare delivery.
There can be no doubt that technology is changing the health sector for the better – it is a matter of changing perceptions and adapting to the new realities the industry is undergoing.
Written by Emeel Bishay,Account Director and Healthcare Practice Lead at FleishmanHillard UAE
