New trends in the medical services market

In a number of countries and regions, especially in Europe, there is a need for more rational pricing due to the globalization of the medical services market. Patients who are forced to pay out of pocket for medical care are looking for opportunities to purchase them in non-traditional places and regions. Countries should be ready to develop a rational pricing system to maintain their own competitiveness in the global medical services market.

On behalf of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute, a survey was conducted of more than 200 healthcare industry executives, including government officials, heads of private companies and hospitals, doctors, from 20 countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the USA. 

The PwC study revealed clear trends in how different states are trying to build their priorities.  These trends are as follows:

• Meeting the demand for medical care to a growing number of an aging population has been called the most difficult task facing healthcare systems in different countries.
• Cost control is highlighted as the most important factor to consider when developing payment systems in the future. In terms of importance, this factor has outstripped quality, efficiency and demand.
• The optimal way to manage demand was called high awareness of patients or protection of consumer interests, and as the least effective way – an increase in the number of cash payments.

81% of respondents noted that the best way to improve the quality of medical care in their countries is to improve the coordination of the treatment process. Among the five main tools for improving quality and efficiency, awards were named to doctors and hospitals for coordinating treatment.

In order to improve the system of remuneration for quality, it is necessary to collect and evaluate information about the quality of services, and act on it. Information that allows comparing quality indicators is becoming more and more available, but the PwC report shows that patients and doctors do not use the available data, since the choice of patients is still determined by the subjective perception of quality, and not by medical or technical information that can be quantified. Buyers of services still do not seek to use the quality of services as the only basis for cost recovery.  

Information technologies certainly increase the effectiveness of treatment. Buyers of medical services (those who pay for them) express concern about the need to finance technological developments, since medical technologies, such as effective diagnosis of diseases at early stages, can lead to an increase in the effectiveness of treatment.  In its report, PwC recommends that countries create a system of incentives to attract investments in information technology where such investments are desirable.

Source: www.remedium.ru

Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru27.06.2008