BHF360° | DECEMBER 2020
INSIDE HE ALT H C A RE
FUTURE HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEMS
Lessons from current systems By Professor MN Chetty CHAIRMAN KZN DOCTORS HEALTHCARE COALITION & THE IPA FOUNDATION OF SA
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e are living in a time of great economic and social upheaval, with healthcare businesses contending with extraordinary new financial, demographic and regulatory pressures. The economics of healthcare are set to become even tougher in the years ahead as aging populations place new demands on both private and public healthcare systems.
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The current healthcare system is unsustainable. One of the main problems is that reimbursement models have promoted and created healthcare silos. It has been described as follows: ‘Everyone is chasing their own rainbow’. The net result is a lack of care coordination. In the current healthcare ecosystem the roles are clear because the interface between stakeholders is either weak or non-existent, with the various stakeholders occupying distinct niches in the overall system. It is complex and not set up to
B O A R D O F H E A LT H C A R E F U N D E R S
enable coordinated care at a reasonable cost that allows patients to share in decision-making.
TRANSPARENCY NEEDED Lack of transparency has been cited as an important factor preventing the healthcare system working the way it should. Transparency can improve accountability across the eco-system. As we move ahead, we will also be challenged by even tighter finances and thinning margins, which will make cost-cutting and operational efficiency top priorities across the healthcare supply chain.
