Healthcare advances need Covid response plus long-term planning

IN some ways, Covid-19 has advanced digital adoption in healthcare systems around the world. From doctors' appointments over video calls to virtual clinical trials, the pandemic has demonstrated that remote healthcare - delivered outside the four walls of hospitals - is not only viable, but also potentially very beneficial to patients. Yet, as Singapore deals with another spate of cases, a new report reveals that, for nearly three quarters of Singapore's healthcare leaders, the pandemic is also the main external factor that is impeding their ability to plan for the future, too.

According to Philips' latest Future Health Index 2021 report, which surveyed healthcare leaders in 14 countries including Singapore, Covid-19 has accelerated much-needed radical shifts in care delivery for both patients and providers around the world. One area that has particularly benefited globally is the move to increased use of telehealth and virtual care services by local populations.

This certainly rings true in Singapore, where healthcare leaders anticipate that, three years from now, about a quarter (26 per cent) of routine care delivery will take place outside of the walls of hospitals or healthcare facilities.

Singapore's healthcare leaders are particularly keen about championing a shift of care delivery into home settings too, expecting that within three years, 45 per cent of routine care that is provided outside of the hospital will be delivered at home, up from an estimated level of 19 per cent today. It's a target that is higher than seen in any of the other countries that we surveyed.

TOWARDS PREDICTIVE HEALTHCARE

Singapore is also blazing a trail in championing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. AI is set to completely revolutionise how patients are diagnosed and treated. Far from replacing doctors and nurses, it has the potential to free them up from routine and time-intensive tasks, so that they can devote more attention where it will make the biggest difference for their patients.

And our research finds that Singapore is leading the way on the world stage for this technology too - with nearly three quarters of Singapore's healthcare leaders (71 per cent) saying that this is one of the digital health technologies that they are currently investing in most heavily - far above most of their counterparts around the world.

However, despite these bold ambitions, the short-term priorities of dealing with the pandemic, staff inexperience and staff shortages within Singapore's healthcare sector could impede this progress if unresolved.

The fallout of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic could be preventing Singapore's healthcare leaders from making remote care a greater focus right now, with three in four saying that preparing to respond to crises is currently their primary priority.

Staff's lack of experience with new technologies ranks among the top internal barriers to future planning in Singapore, while one in four of the healthcare leaders we spoke to said that staff shortages are also holding them back.

Perhaps linked to this, it appears that Singapore's healthcare system isn't using AI to its full potential yet either - with current investment primarily focused on using AI more for administrative tasks, like scheduling appointments, ahead of diagnostic and clinical applications, where it can arguably make the biggest differences to patients and outcomes.

Encouragingly there is push to change this in the near future but providing wider training and addressing staff shortages will be critical for Singapore to unlock the full potential and move beyond purely administrative applications of these game-changing technologies.

LOOKING AHEAD

As the sector begins to take its first, tentative steps out of "survival" mode, this should encourage Singapore's healthcare leaders to push ahead with digital adoption as well.

In addition to digital adoption, it seems that many healthcare leaders are heeding the directives of non-governmental organisations, such as the World Economic Forum and professional bodies like the World Medical Association, which have challenged the industry to contribute to a more sustainable healthcare ecosystem.

The pandemic has undoubtedly slowed progress in sustainability efforts across many health systems. However, the immense increase in the use of single-use personal protective equipment and critical medical supplies, and corresponding rise in waste disposal, may have encouraged healthcare leaders to reflect on the steps that they can take in the medium term.

Towards this, 49 per cent of Singaporean healthcare leaders expect to prioritise the implementation of sustainability practices in their hospital or healthcare facility three years from now, from just 2 per cent today.

After an incredibly challenging year, one thing stands out in our research - the resilience of the sector. Singapore's healthcare system has been put to the ultimate test and passed with flying colours. This may explain why Singapore's healthcare leaders are cautiously optimistic about the future.

Singapore is not out of the woods just yet from Covid-19. However, planning in other areas needs to go hand-in-hand with Singapore's pandemic response to ensure that its healthcare system maintains its world-leading position in years to come.

• The writer is market leader and EVP for Philips Asean Pacific. The Future Health Index 2021 report is the largest global survey analysing healthcare leaders.