BHF360° | DECEMBER 2021
E merging trends in healthcare
Collaborative, techno-savvy healthcare building blocks T
he road to an effective and inclusive South African healthcare industry is ever evolving. This evolution is largely driven by a plethora of shifts that the industry must contend with. Legislative changes, a rapidly transforming regulatory framework, policy regime, digitisation, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), telehealth and the imminent rollout of National Health Insurance are all at the forefront of these emerging trends. Despite the devastating effect COVID19 continues to have on our people, the pandemic has helped the industry to regroup with a renewed focus on accelerating universal healthcare implementation. On 6 October 2021, Momentum Health Solutions partnered with various key business leaders and major labour unions, including NEHAWU, to support an improved healthcare system for South Africa. The objective of this alliance is to bring together a leading group of stakeholders who have the positive intent and skills required to solve the country’s unique healthcare challenges, and to smooth the path to a better future. The IoMT comprises the network of
internet-connected medical devices, hardware infrastructure and software applications used to connect healthcare information technology. It brings with it the ability to create an ecosystem where wearable and other medical devices are interconnected. This allows for remote patient monitoring and telehealth, as well as analysis and storage of data. It also plays a pivotal role in helping with disease prevention and monitoring and controlling patients with chronic illnesses. The runaway success of Hello Doctor (HD) in some of the health facilities where it was piloted has helped to demonstrate the full might of telehealth. By deploying the HD teletriage tool, we have seen increased utilisation of the app, with a concomitant reduction of up to 60% in terms of unnecessary consultations, thereby improving efficiencies at the index clinics. Data has taken centre stage and is now considered the new currency. Given trends in data warehousing, interrogation and business intelligence tools, the need for interoperability of all health platforms cannot be overemphasised. The advent of data analytics and artificial intelligence has served as a catalyst in support of a centralised
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industry database with interoperability that serves as the confluence. It will eradicate duplication, reduce healthcare costs and bolster eHealth initiatives like electronic health records. The aforementioned trends will herald an era that will most likely turn the industry on its axis, paving the way to better health for more at lower cost.
Tiego Malibe Head of Clients Insights & Service Monitoring at Metropolitan Health
