Telehealth has Become Priority for Healthcare Decision-Makers

Nearly two-thirds of healthcare leaders prioritise investments in Telehealth, according to the Philips Future Health Index 2021 survey, but priorities will turn to artificial intelligence in three years. Nearly 3,000 executive officers, financial officers, technology and information officers, operations officers, and other C-suite or senior executive healthcare leaders from 14 countries participated in the survey, which focused on current and future priorities, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Joe Frassica, head of Philips Research and Chief Medical Officer, said, “While the industry’s recent surge in adoption of innovation like virtual care is promising, healthcare leaders are now keenly focused on cementing these solutions into care delivery models long-term.”

The Future Health Index report revealed the healthcare leaders taking three-step approaches towards digitalization:

• by collaborating with other private hospitals and health technology companies
• by investing in Telehealth in the shorter term.
• by investing in AI in the longer term.

Frassica said that the FHI report showed that half of US healthcare leaders are prioratizing strategic partnerships to successfully implement digital technologies to the sector. A whopping 89 percent of healthcare executives in the United States said they are heavily investing in Telehealth right now. At the same time, the Future Health Index indicates that leaders expect Telehealth spending to decline dramatically in the next three years.

One possible explanation is that leaders would have already laid a solid framework on which to construct future digital transformation and healthcare delivery models. Longer term, leaders see AI as a critical investment goal for the future of healthcare. About 57 percent of U.S. leaders believe that their healthcare facility would need to invest in predictive healthcare technology in three years, compared to just 7% today.