Introduction
To construct the health ecosystem of the future, we must first listen to the main users of this system – people and healthcare professionals – and understand their expectations and experiences. Second, we must investigate how technology is already transforming lives in different health systems around the world and how it can empower society even further.
This is the Future Health Index, a comprehensive record of where we are on the road to better health outcomes achieved at lower cost and how we are progressing to meet future healthcare needs. The Future Health Index provides a platform for discussing where governments and businesses should concentrate resources to enable a revolution in the way healthcare is being delivered and experienced.
This is the second annual in-depth study, based on the input and self-reported behaviors of the general population and healthcare professionals throughout 19 geographically and developmentally diverse countries, including South Africa, which collectively produce a snapshot of how healthcare is experienced on both sides of the patient-professional divide; it highlights the opportunities and barriers to a more connected and integrated form of healthcare that will better serve future generations.
The Future Health Index (FHI) provides a benchmark for a country’s readiness to meet some of the key healthcare challenges emerging globally. It also explores readiness of how people’s perceptions match the realities of healthcare. If we are to reshape the future, it is vital to address gaps between what exists and what is desired. And to better understand how to deliver the right information and tools, in the right time and place, to maximize impact in health experiences and outcomes.
It is a difficult truth that one of the greatest achievements of modern times – the overall global advance of public health – has created one of humanity’s most pressing dilemmas. Around the world, healthcare systems are under strain as populations swell and grow older, helped by the extension of sanitation and medical services, as well as breakthroughs in technology and disease treatment. This report takes a closer look at the perceptions of South African respondents in particular, and their views on the South African healthcare system.
The FHI provides insights for conversations on ways to meet the emerging healthcare challenge, with a focus on increasing access to healthcare, integrating systems, and promoting the adoption of connected technology – all of which combine to enhance efficiency and outcomes.
Download FHI South Africa Report ⟶
Read / Download Full International Report ⟶
