HTI Conference’s partner Deloitte works with both private and public-sector entities involved in health tourism sector. Deloitte identifies, analyses and continually monitors changes at PESTL levels, which may dramatically impact the developmental direction of the health tourism sector on a global level, but also case based i.e. on specific markets (country level). Deloitte’s forecasts of the most important trends as well as suggested problem-solving solutions are based on continuous and thorough demographic, economic and political analyses. This is key to all stakeholders in the health tourism sector – it is fundamental in understanding and creating innovative solutions in challenging markets, such as the health tourism market.
Global healthcare spending is projected to increase at an annual rate of 4.1% in the period 2017-2021, up from just 1.3% in the period 2012-2016. Aging and growing populations, developing market expansion, clinical and technological advances, and rising labor costs will drive spending growth.
Deloitte analyses the evolution of a “smart healthcare” strategy whose implementation will depend on the agility of the current healthcare system . Healthcare sector stakeholders are already pursuing improvements in current healthcare systems across the globe by introducing new cost reduction measures such as developing alternative staffing models, shifting patients to outpatient services and reducing administrative and supply costs.
Technological development rapidly impacts organizational structures and business processes in both healthcare and health tourism sectors but also impacts behaviour of individuals towards their health status, which then leads to significant changes in relationships physician-patient, as well as in patient-system procedures. According to Deloitte’s 2017 Survey on US Health Care Consumers, personalized care from their providers – including clear communication and sensitivity – represents a top health care priority for Survey participants.
Technological development, however, also results in new challenges. Digital healthcare technology solutions addressing better diagnostics and more personalized therapeutic tools are leading to challenges of personal data protection. Cybersecurity and data risk management continue to be front and centre issues, especially with patients who are taking more active control of their health state, i.e. requiring access and reliability of their personal data. Furthermore, service providers will have to adopt new strategies – linking talent and technology as to achieve system efficiency and satisfy client needs.
Other findings and details of Deloitte’s new 2018 Global health care outlook report can be found here as well as infographics.
