Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, remain one of the major healthcare concerns in the world today, claiming over 40 million lives every year. It is also a key driver of healthcare expenditure for households as the chronic nature of NCDs requires long-term care, which can pose a huge financial burden for patients and their families.
A study highlighted that adequate and reliable social protection interventions, on top of existing health coverage plans, must be introduced to help families who are struggling with the financial pressure that comes with managing the chronic conditions of their loved ones.
Additionally, with the rise of an ageing population, poor lifestyle choices, and urbanisation, there has been a substantial increase in NCDs in Southeast Asia as well. According to WHO, 55 per cent of deaths in the region are caused by NCDs, which is nearly eight million people every year.
The growing incidence of chronic diseases in this region has also strained healthcare systems, especially in developing countries. These areas often struggle with poor healthcare and finance infrastructure, inadequate manpower resources, and vulnerable information systems. Although there is an emergent need for the management of chronic diseases, patients who are central to this care paradigm continue to face challenges in their healthcare journeys.
Significant gaps persist in patient journeys
System complexity
With multiple administrative and clinical processes overlapping one another, our healthcare systems are complex by nature. Accompanied by the usage of technical language, these intricacies may seem overwhelming for patients. If not guided properly, it can affect their overall healthcare experience and their ability to make informed choices.
According to the Bain Front Line of Healthcare APAC survey 2021, more than 90 per cent of consumers surveyed in Asia said that they preferred a single touchpoint to manage all their healthcare needs.
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Furthermore, the National Institute for Health and Care Research in the UK reported that 23 per cent of patients raised concerns about their healthcare experience, with most of their concerns relating to communication between healthcare providers and patients.
Lack of integrated healthcare guidance
With the pandemic bringing healthcare to the forefront, patients are more invested than ever in health maintenance, treatment options, and preventive care. They are willing to pay for healthcare guidance both digitally and in-person through online education, diagnostic health check-ups and chronic care treatment.
For example, according to a 2018 Deloitte survey, Americans are increasingly looking for convenient, reliable, and affordable healthcare services, with nearly one-third of them using digital apps for health coaching and identifying symptoms.
However, while technological advancements have made access to virtual health and care possible, more remains to be done regarding remote chronic disease management for patients. Nearly two in five adults in the world are managing two or more chronic diseases.
This makes the widespread adoption of remote monitoring tools difficult as different chronic conditions require care from doctors specialising in that field. Therefore, creating a unified patient experience that considers multiple chronic conditions across the clinical workflow is critical in driving adoption and scale.
Health insurance-related challenges
Most insurers in Asia highlight morbidity rather than the well-being of people, with little to no focus on health insurance. As a result, consumers in many markets are often not informed about health insurance, let alone understand the scope of coverage and benefits.
Moreover, product descriptions and recommendations can be difficult for consumers to comprehend due to the usage of technical lingo, making it challenging for them to make an informed decision.
Technical jargon, accompanied by costly premiums, is a key barrier for consumers. For example, in major developing markets across Southeast Asia like Indonesia, the gross written life insurance premiums grew at 11 per cent per year between 2013 to 2017.
Additionally, less than a third of policyholders feel sufficiently covered by insurance, with Indonesians, in particular, feeling least protected.
According to Willis Towers Watson’s 2022 Global Medical Trends Survey, the primary driver of medical costs remains the misuse of care due to the “overprescribing” of health services by medical professionals for their patients.
These rising costs continue to serve as a key barrier of entry for consumers, especially with the onslaught of COVID-19. Across the Asia Pacific, consumers have become more price sensitive towards insurance purchases amidst concerns over financial stability post-COVID-19.
Poor healthcare delivery
Although patients are the core of the healthcare industry, their healthcare journeys are often fraught with challenges. At least 5.7 million people lose their lives in low and middle-income countries every year due to poor quality healthcare, while 2.9 million die due to lack of access to care.
Improvement in healthcare delivery is of utmost concern today since a person has a greater chance of dying due to poor quality care rather than the absence of care. The Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) Patient Satisfaction Survey (2015) reported that although 85 per cent of patients were satisfied with the service at hospitals and polyclinics, they cited long waiting times, health procedures and facilities as areas that needed urgent improvement.
Technology as an enabler
Digitalisation is revolutionising the healthcare delivery system by redefining patient access to care, enhancing patient engagement, and providing them with the opportunity to actively participate in their healthcare journeys.
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Purpose-built, patient-centric technologies can help overcome various patient pain points – from personalisation and optimisation of healthcare delivery to reliable management of chronic diseases.
More specifically, intuitive artificial intelligence (AI) based tools can improve patient journeys by providing a one-stop integrated platform that brings together patients, payors, and providers at every step of the treatment continuum.
For example, AI technologies and apps can be used to provide patients with personalised chronic disease management plans, including automated monitoring of changes in vital health-related parameters, check-up reminders, and early warning signals.
Patients are also provided with reliable guidance via patient self-service facilities (chatbots) and computer-aided detection systems for diagnosis. By capturing data and utilising it effectively, such tools can enhance efficiency and reduce time and expenses spent on unnecessary procedures.
These digital ecosystems can also connect hospitals and insurance systems to enhance efficiency across the board. For example, it can help to streamline health insurance claims processes, thereby reducing claims turnaround time and fraud and leading to better outcomes for patients, payors, and providers.
They also ensure the safe and integrated handling of medical information, allowing healthcare professionals to leverage the power of analytics and create personalised treatment plans that better address the needs of patients.
AI can thus enhance the overall patient experience so that patients are kept informed and empowered at every step of their healthcare journey. However, it is important to remember that technology does not substitute in-person medical care and attention but instead complements it.
With technology as an enabler, patients can anticipate simpler and more convenient healthcare processes and services which helps in building trust and accountability and is critical in protecting the relationship between healthcare practitioners and patients while making healthcare accessible and affordable for all.
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