The Future Health Index–a blockbuster 100-page annual study from Philips with research conducted by IPSOS, Schlesinger, and Braun–reflects findings of over 29,000 consumers and 3,300 healthcare professionals in 19 countries. The survey includes analysis by country and aggregate of perception versus reality (both difficult measures) in access to healthcare, integration between healthcare systems, and adoption of healthcare technology. It is, needless to say, complex and hard to parse into a headline and finding or two or four. The UK press release helpfully discusses particulars of the UK findings which are hard to find in the main report. Overall, it’s positive, but nowhere near a tipping point where connected care is expected and routine.  

• About half (48%) of (UK) HCPs have seen an increase in the use of connected care technologies by primary care doctors in last 12 months
• About a third of the (UK) general population (31%) have used connected care technologies to monitor a health indicator in the last 12 months
• Over half of the (UK) general population (57%) who have used connected care technology to track health indicators have shared their data with an HCP in the last 12 months
• Six-in-ten (62%) of the (UK) general population think that integration of the health system would make the quality of healthcare better

The appendix with the UK summary results is available online here and the US here. The full study is available for download here. (All countries are in the appendix)

Out of the global results, there’s a disconnect between having the data and making it useful: “Only 23% of the general population surveyed who used connected care technology within the last 12 months claim to completely understand when to share data from connected care technology with a healthcare professional, or the easiest way to do so.” 

A not surprising finding was that quick wins would be found in the home care area and in preventing avoidable readmissions:

• Connected care was important to healthcare professionals in improving home care and for geriatric care–81 percent and 82 percent respectively  
• 55 percent of professionals chose home care and related aspects in improving long-term management and tracking of medical issues

Looking forward into the future, the general population group was asked to speculate on artificial intelligence and on what AI technology would have the most impact on improving healthcare if available today. The two leaders were health tracking wearables/apps on smartphones and AI-assisted tools for guidance. Hologram doctors and robots cruised around 10 percent (!)

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Editor’s note: While incredibly comprehensive, this Editor will express a certain disappointment in the researchers’ selection of US and UK experts. This Editor could name five to ten experts and patient advocates in US and UK from personal contacts (including our UK-based Editors) without thinking particularly hard–and with a little homework UAE and Africa–who could have informed their study.

This Editor also had the pleasure to meet two of Philips’ connected health executives at this month’s Health 2.0 NYC/MedStartr meeting on population health and value-based care: Nick Padula, VP of Home Healthcare Monitoring, and Eduardo Da Silva, Strategic Sales Director of Philips Wellcentive. Mr. Padula was a panelist for the evening.