| | NOVEMBER 20228UTLOOKHealthcare Tech IN MY OPINIONDigital Transformation in Value-based Healthcare SystemsDigital transformation, propelled by the revolutionary new healthcare provision models that have now become crucial in our post-pandemic world is the new buzz word in health-tech circles. Covid-19 has seen a surge in rapid innovation and adaptation of health technology platforms and processes as healthcare systems across the world strived to ensure care continuity for patients. According to analysis conducted by McKinsey & Company (1), the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020 saw telehealth usage surge to 78 times higher levels compared to pre-pandemic levels in February 2020. As of July 2021, telehealth utilisation has stabilised at levels 38 times higher than before the pandemic (1). It is evident that this disruptive health technology transformation is here to stay and will continue to induce improvements and changes across a range of healthcare arenas that impact health system and health service operations, structures and business strategies (2). Changes in the areas of health information management, provider and patient communication and health connectivity across systems and contexts are part of the increasing tide of digital transformation in healthcare. Another such transformation that has been increasingly gathering momentum on a global and national scale is that of value-based healthcare (VBHC). VBHC, a concept coined by Michael Porter (3), involves transforming health care systems with the primary goal to maximise value to patients. In order to achieve value for patients, health care delivery needed to be organised around the medical conditions patients have, accurately measure the outcomes that matter to patients, and measure the cost to achieve them (4).Several essential elements are purported as necessary to develop and embed a value based healthcare framework, all of which are underpinned by the need to measure, analyse and integrate various systems of health information and health data. Value-based systems thinking in healthcare is nothing short of a seismic shift for most global health contexts, an even greater shift will be the role of digital transformation and technology required to facilitate and enable this conversion. Technology already plays a growing role in the measuring, analysing, reporting and benchmarking of patient outcomes and healthcare quality metrics. We are seeing rapid adoption of consumer-driven convenience-based healthcare demand, such as the ability to book appointments online, and access medical records via smartphones (5).Value-based healthcare transformation is likely to accelerate the pace of digital transformation currently underway as we come to recognise that healthcare can and should increasingly move outside the traditional hospital and physician office settings. A key outcome of value-based care is to improve a patient's well-being, health outcomes and level of engagement with managing their health collaboratively with healthcare providers. New app-based digital patient engagement tools are expected to play a key role in this regard. In moving existing clinical models to outcome/value-based frameworks, healthcare providers could come under increased scrutiny with respect to being evaluated on their performance. An example of this is the type and level of post-operative recovery patients will have following treatment or surgery By Singithi Chandrasiri, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Group Director, Academic & Medical Services, EpworthSingithi Chandrasiri
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