The health care worker shortage could rise to 10 million by the end of the decade, affecting access to care, inequality and mental health treatment. A new report published by the World Economic Forum, Strategic outlook for global health and healthcareoffers business and policy makers a blueprint for more sustainable and resilient healthcare systems rather than accepting trade-offs of efficiency over social equity.
Launched in the run-up to the World Economic Forum 2023 annual meeting in Davos-Klosters, the report presents case studies in four areas that can drive change: equitable access and results; transforming healthcare systems; technology and innovation; and environmental sustainability.
The pandemic has made significant progress in drug development and delivery. We now need to focus on long-term regime change to stop the decline of health services in the face of economic crises. said Shyam Bishn, Head of Health and Healthcare, World Economic Forum.
The annual meeting will bring together more than 2,700 business, government and civil society leaders. Healthcare organization leaders will focus on driving public-private partnerships to achieve better health outcomes.
The report, produced by LEK Consulting, highlights pandemic disruptions such as a 25% drop in coverage of essential health services. This has had compounding effects on vulnerable populations and minorities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. More specifically, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has put additional stress on healthcare systems, disrupting global supply chains for essential products, and pushing overburdened caregivers to breaking point.
said Kashish Malhotra, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, North India
To improve access and narrow global health inequality, the report urges healthcare leaders to allocate funds disproportionately to alternative care models and to include more representative clinical trials across low-to-middle-income countries.
As healthcare systems seek to adapt and evolve, innovations frequently outpace organizational change. Moreover, general regulations vary by jurisdiction, and the lack of common standards across the global industry erodes trust, prevents reimbursement, and slows the sector’s return to pre-pandemic stability. Meanwhile, the private sector is stymied by fragile and broken supply chains, while a lone-wolf mentality is slowing the systemic transformation of healthcare.
“Too often we see so many companies trying to find the path through the woods themselves, and each one of them getting lost and not learning from each other,” said Geoff Allen, CEO, Friends of Cancer Research. “Public-private partnerships help bridge this gap to find solutions to common problems in a shorter time.” The report argues that service delivery value is worth more than volume. To incorporate prevention, healthcare policy must be linked to consistent and measurable outcomes because what is effective is not always the most effective.
In terms of partnerships for innovation, the pandemic has accelerated a technological tipping point in digital health and telemedicine. This could be extended to other areas of healthcare. With a better Wi-Fi signal and digital access, a rural patient can consult with a health worker from a nearby city or halfway around the world. “People want on-demand health care,” said Gisela Faith Dolan, Global Head of Advocacy, Honor + Home.. “We want greater access to real-time answers.”
Telecare empowers both the patient and the worker. Improves relevance, adherence, and access to information across geographies. By reducing the need for traditional infrastructure, costs per patient come down. Telehealth goes beyond online counseling. Artificial intelligence (AI) and bots also support clinical decisions, home diagnostics, home-administered drug delivery systems, and patient monitoring devices. By coordinating data use, Dolan said, “doctors are building better relationships with patients through telehealth, and we’re seeing increased use by older adults.”
The pandemic required emergency responses. However, according to the new report, medical triumphs are often interactive “cures” for infectious zoonotic diseases that could have been prevented at much lower costs. To preserve health and save lives, the highest return on investment comes from clean air, clean water and healthy biodiversity.