Called ‘Accelerating Innovation: the power of the crowd’, the report suggests that moves toward eHealth are being driven by the baby boom generation, fuelled by their experiences and comfort as online consumers. However it also goes on to reveal that professional attitudes and funding are the biggest blocks to progress.
According to the data
- 61% claim eHealth will come about because of patient expectation, with 58% also suggesting demands for greater efficiency will lead to a technologically-driven health service
- 29% argue that safety concerns and quality of care will ensure that eHealth programmes redefine how we care for patients
- 26% suggest that a shortage of staff entering the profession will also be behind greater reliance on technology.
According to Andrew Hine, KPMG’s head of public healthcare, the case for eHealth has never been more compelling. He says: “For too long eHealth strategies have focused on ‘pushing’ people to accept promises of high level benefits. Yet surely when the story of one social network has already been made into an Oscar-nominated film we can conclude that technology is an embedded, normal part of our lives. In an age where communication exists in the shape of 500 million tweets per day, it is no longer a leap of faith to think that eHealth is more than just an IT solution, but a mainstream part of daily life.”
Citing early projects, the report focuses on examples from across the globe, notably the DH telecare programme involving 6,000 patients across 3 locations. Enabling patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes or heart conditions, to self-monitor and report their results, it led to a 15% reduction in A&E visits, 14% reduction in bed days and 45% reduction in mortality rates.
Another example, from Denmark, is the creation of a public web-based portal allowing patients to access their records, book appointments and order medication over a secure network. The programme has resulted in significant financial savings and enabled the government to merge 15 counties into 5 distinct regions without disrupting health provision.
However, the report indicates that whilst some attempts to drive eHealth have been successful, many have lost momentum after the pilot phase. According to the data, the top three barriers to eHealth implementation are money (34%), attitudes amongst medical professionals (29%) and poor change management (21%).
Some within the profession go on to suggest that they have ‘technology anxiety’ with 63% arguing there is a need to build confidence in eHealth applications and 29% suggesting data security is an issue. It is also suggest that the healthcare profession may need to hear more about the benefits that eHealth can bring, with 21% saying there is currently a failure to showcase success and 47% claiming that consumers are the ones driving the eHealth revolution.
Andrew Hine adds: “For eHealth to deliver on its promises, clinicians will have to be brought on board – either willingly or in response to consumer demand. The simple fact is that today’s smartphone user is tomorrow’s patient and, tech savvy clinicians need to be seen not as a force to be won-over, but as a catalyst for change.”
To create real change in the healthcare system, the KPMG/ Manchester Business School report cites three conditions essential for success:
- Crowd accelerated innovation: large numbers of early participants are needed to trigger widespread acceptance and create economies of scale
- Collaborative alignment: varied interests of different players in the healthcare system need to be better aligned to reduce barriers to innovation
- Creative dislocation: finally, new ways of working must replace the old, rather than remaining a costly ‘add-on’.
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Quelle/Source: Practice Business, 02.04.2012
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