New Models of Healthcare

There is rapid and dramatic transition from old models of healthcare delivery to new models of medical delivery. The advanced used of technology means that these new models of healthcare will include tele health, remote monitoring, advanced analytics, interoperability, chronic disease management, decreased costs to provides.

You may be surprised to learn that while the most important part of the medical relationship model is the patient/physician which is at the heart of patient care, with these massive changes that relationship will become fragmented.

The trusted relationship between the patient and doctor has been at the centre, the engine that drives effective and consistent care for the patient. Ideally medical decisions based on sound evidence drove patient care.

However times are changing to incorporate new technology. The emphasis in the new medicine model will be made by providers who know their patients well adding new technologies at the time points in the spectrum of disease and realities of daily living from home, work, clinic, hospital, with reimbursement supporting efforts.

The shift in patient and physician relationship is being driven by increasingly more fragmented delivery systems heavily adopting shift work models of care, where care delivery is run along efficient lines of business much like an assembly line. For example providers show up, work their shift, then go home and come back the next day to repeat.

Over the past decade this model has slowly been implemented, together with intentional modifications to doctor training, which encourages shift work model over continuity.

While there are benefits to this from a provider lifestyle standpoint, the best intentions of providers may not have anticipated the unintended consequences of these changes downstream that have negative effects on patients and quality care, though likely to quantify but no less real.

Research shows that frequent hands off or switching providers in the care delivery model, results in increased errors, negative outcomes, increased costs and decreased patient and physician satisfaction.

Patient and provider relationship is developed slowly over time, via multiple, consistent, personal encounters between the patient, their doctors, and their care team. Without trust being built over time in the enhanced relationships, it is more likely that patients will not show for visits, take medications which will impede adopting these new models of medicine.

Simply to think that by adding advanced technologies to a highly personalised care system we will simply realise our goals because without the trusted relationships being put in place, this won’t happen.

The patient physician relationship needs to be recognised and supported as the driving force for this change to new technological care models. In the new setting of effective technology use this can be achieved by sharing goals for intentional, strategic delivery in the new medicine

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