Darko Lovric, alum of the Houston Futures program, recently co-authored a report for the World Economic Forum entitled Sustainable Health Systems: Visions, Strategies, Critical Uncertainties and Scenarios.
With the participation of over 200 health experts, systems leaders, and policy-makers, Lovric and co-author David Gleicher endeavor to answer one question: What could health systems look like in 2040?
Health systems leaders across five countries (China, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and England) provided their visions for the ideal health system; unsurprisingly, the envisioned healthcare systems are quite different than today’s. Common vision themes emerge across all countries, including the need for empowered patients, more diverse delivery models, and a major re-orientation toward values and outcomes in order to create a financially sustainable healthcare system.
Three major strategies emerged to achieve said ends: using the data and information available to transform healthcare; creating more innovate healthcare delivery; building healthy cities and countries by reshaping the demand for health services and empowering people to manage their own health.
And as with any Future’s plan, critical uncertainties come into question. Where will the power be located (national, supranational)? Where will innovation come from? Will people give consent to use their personal data? These are just a few of the uncertainties Lovric and Gleicher list that could affect the outcome of healthcare systems in the future.
Finally, as the title implies, the authors offer up three scenarios in which corporations, governments, and individuals all play varying roles with differing responsibilities within the healthcare systems.
The report makes for a great read because it offers up insight derived from data collected across an international spectrum of healthcare leaders. After all, the future of healthcare systems lay in their hands; where better to start planning the futures?
