The importance of connected health systems in the post COVID-19 reality

The emergence of COVID-19 and its devastating impact has brought irrevocable changes to our lives and the global economy. While the immediate focus has been responding to the crisis, health leaders around the world are increasingly looking towards the new post-pandemic reality.

Other industries, such as the entertainment and retail sectors, have met the challenge of evolving consumer expectations through digital transformation. This has allowed them to provide a more seamless experience, while fundamentally changing the way their businesses operate.

Although adoption rates of digital toolsets have traditionally been slower in the healthcare industry, emerging evidence from around the world suggests that COVID-19 will provide the impetus for similar changes to the way that healthcare is delivered.

The new reality for healthcare requires the redesign of health and care systems and introduction of new models to address primary, secondary and acute care and care that extends to the community.

Patients have come to expect continuous access to health services in a safe and convenient way. This demands a more agile, inter-professional workforce that can deliver team-based care with empowered frontline staff leveraging technology.

A new framework for healthcare

To support this shift, a new framework is needed to enable healthcare organisations to orchestrate the myriad interconnected changes required and sustain virtual care.  

Technology should be harnessed for the benefit of patients and be supported by investment in new skills needed to deliver on the promise of digital transformation.

KPMG healthcare specialists have developed KPMG Connected Enterprise for Health, an evidence-based and globally-validated framework that is designed to address every aspect of an integrated, digitally-enabled health and care system.

The framework includes clinical and corporate strategies that can help to ensure full connectivity between the core clinical workflows, supporting operations and technology platforms.

Investment in critical capabilities

Digital transformation cannot be successful at the current pace of change, without a series of capabilities hardwired into the organisation as critical enablers.

Global research conducted by KPMG found that connected enterprises were delivering substantially higher returns by investing in eight critical capabilities. These are: insight driven strategies and actions, innovative services, experience-centricity by design, seamless interactions, responsive supply chain and operations, aligned and empowered workforce, digitally enabled technology architecture, and integrated partner and alliance ecosystem.

The research found that more than half of all healthcare providers were considering these eight capabilities for investment before COVID-19. However, it is more important than ever that all organisations look at building these capabilities if they are to thrive in the post-pandemic new reality.

To find out more see the Interoperability Forum on 1 December, 10am – 11.40am (AST) at HIMSS & Health 2.0 Middle East Digital Conference and Exhibition.

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