- Canadians have trust in healthcare system; 64% general
population, 80% healthcare professionals
- While almost 80% of Canadians believe they have access to
treatment that helps prevent illness or disease (77%), only half
believe they have access to resources for home care (51%), and even
fewer healthcare professionals (40%) believe home care is
accessible
- 'Connected care technology' is thought to have a role in
improving care across the healthcare continuum and addressing some
of the biggest healthcare challenges, though doctors and patients
don't believe this is happening yet
MARKHAM, ON, May 18, 2017 /CNW/ - Connected care technology,
like remote blood and heart monitors, mobile health apps and
wearable fitness devices, is seen as a way to improve care across
the continuum and enable the population to take better control of
their health, according to a comprehensive healthcare study across
19 countries conducted by Royal
Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA).
Connected care technology, including secure sharing of patient
data between healthcare professionals and hospitals, is seen as
important to improving care across the full healthcare continuum,
according to survey respondents. In particular, healthcare
professionals and the general public put an overwhelming importance
on it for improving treatment of medical issues (94% and 83%),
diagnosis of medical conditions (87% and 82%) and home care
services (82% and 78%).
"The healthcare challenges we face in Canada are real and imminent," said
Iain Burns, CEO of Philips Canada.
"With an aging population, rise in chronic diseases and continually
escalating costs, innovative solutions such as connected care
technology are crucial to help healthcare providers manage costs
while improving patient care and outcomes."
One particular healthcare challenge that Canadians feel
connected care can address is home care. Only half (51%) of the
general population and 40 per cent of healthcare professionals
believe Canadians have access to resources needed for home care.
Among the general population, following diagnosis, connected care
technologies are seen to be most beneficial to home care (38%).
Healthcare professionals believe connected care technology can most
benefit home care (60%), as 54 per cent believe that connected care
technologies can improve long term management and tracking of
health issues as part of home care.
Around four in five Canadians (79%) and healthcare professionals
(83%) believe it is important that the healthcare system in
Canada is integrated, while only
21 per cent of healthcare professionals and 27 per cent of the
general population believe it actually is. To healthcare
professionals, having accessible, secure information sharing
platforms between healthcare professionals is thought to have the
most positive impact on Canadians taking care of their health.
"We're going to see a massive improvement in the healthcare
system when healthcare is integrated – from prevention to diagnosis
to treatment," said Burns. "That means all the remote monitors,
healthcare professionals and medical departments are connected and
sharing information and data on an individual's health. Philips is
committed to working with partners like Mackenzie Health in
Ontario to create efficiency and
put technology in place that can help bridge the information gap
and deliver enhanced patient outcomes at lower costs."
Despite the interest in connected care technologies, Canadians
and healthcare professionals believe it's not often incorporated
across the health continuum, and less than half of healthcare
professionals (46%) and just two in 10 Canadians (22%) say they are
knowledgeable about connected care technologies.
"Connected care is critical to effectively manage a person's
health, both inside the hospital and at home," said Altaf Stationwala, President and CEO of
Mackenzie Health. "As exemplified in the new Mackenzie Vaughan
Hospital, the future of healthcare lies in connected care. Smart
hospitals optimize available medical technology and
interoperability to share data from one episode of care to another
improving clinical outcomes for patients both inside the hospital
and within communities."
The survey also found:
- Canadians believe in the Canadian healthcare system, with 61
per cent saying it meets their needs, and more than six in ten
(64%) saying they trust the healthcare system.
- Almost all Canadians – 92 per cent – would rather be healthy
than rich.
- Canadians say they stay healthy through preventive measures
such as eating healthy (73%) and exercising regularly (58%), though
few (approximately 20 per cent) use a health-related smartphone app
or use a wearable device, like a fitness tracker.
- Both the general population (52%) and healthcare professionals
(58%) believe that the majority of healthcare professionals' time
and resources overall should be dedicated to preventive care.
- However, the majority of healthcare professionals and the
general population believe the federal healthcare budget should be
spent on sick care (61% and 55% of the budget according to
healthcare professionals and the general population respectively)
over preventive measures (39% and 44% of the budget
respectively).
For the complete results and research methodology, visit
www.futurehealthindex.com/.
About the Future Health Index
The findings above are
part of the Future Health Index, the second annual international
study of consumers and healthcare providers that examines views on
healthcare quality and integration, and connected care
technologies. The Future Health Index results highlight the gap
between Canadians' interest in using connected care and perceptions
of how it is implemented in Canada.
Future Health Index Methodology
About Royal
Philips
Royal Philips
(NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company
focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes
across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to
diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced
technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver
integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in
diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and
health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care.
Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of
EUR 17.4 billion and employs
approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than
100 countries. News about Philips can be found at
www.philips.com/newscenter.
About Mackenzie Health
Mackenzie Health is a dynamic
regional healthcare provider serving a population of more than a
half million people across Southwest York Region and beyond.
Nationally recognized for its commitment to safety and quality
patient care, Mackenzie Health is a healthcare leader.
Mackenzie Health includes Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital, the
future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, as well as a comprehensive
network of community-based services in Richmond Hill, Vaughan and the surrounding communities.
Mackenzie Health's vision is to create a world-class health
experience. This means delivering quality, compassionate and timely
patient-centered care. Further information about Mackenzie Health
can be found at www.mackenziehealth.ca
SOURCE Royal Philips