The advent of Patient-centered care
Massive changes to the health infrastructure and the rise of customization will make patients the axis of care.
Care in the future will be customized to the individual as performance metrics, payment, outcomes, incentives, services and treatments address differences in the needs and preferences of individuals. Incumbent models of care are struggling to keep up as healthcare volumes become more unmanageable. A burning platform for change is being driven by three key issues:
- Chronic disease Both young and old consumers are developing chronic diseases in record numbers, leading to explosive growth in the consumption of resources that is driving up spending and creating liabilities for future generations.
- Digitization Technology is leading healthcare into a new era of “mass customization,” following other industries such as auto manufacturing, media, and entertainment. PwC research shows that consumer attitudes on healthcare vary widely, depending on gender and age, and that’s just the tip of the mass customization trend.
- Broader view of converged health influences It is widely accepted that chronic diseases are associated with behavioral and genetic factors that are not within the control of today’s medical delivery system. The health delivery system will need to collaborate with social, educational and employment sectors to enable the prevention, detection and management of diseases.
Care will be customized around a framework of six recommendations that personalize diagnosis, care and cure for individuals:
Tailor incentives
Incentives that encourage partnerships: develop incentives that encourage partnership and support patient-centered goals.
See this recommendation 
Redistribute funding
Funding that redistributes spending: plan for redistribution of funding from a focus on sickness to wellness.
See this recommendation
Provide better information
Patient communication that supports choice: provide individuals with better information to support shared decision-making, concordance and choice.
See this recommendation
Explore new workforce models
Flexible workforce models: develop new models that allow for greater flexibility and effectiveness.
See this recommendation
Prepare for complexity
I.T. that eases collaboration: prepare for complexity of implementing agile, interoperable I.T. framework for a real-time, customer-driven market.
See this recommendation
Past reports
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