27.04.11
IT investment could create 35% savings
Investment in IT and diagnostic technology would save money and directly improve patients’ health, new research shows. A series of trials using new technology were used across the UK, Belgium and Germany, focusing on where and how money could be saved.
The research was led by Professor Walter Van Dyke of Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School and European think-tank Science│Business.
The IT allowed doctors to create a personalised approach to diagnosis and treatment, which could deliver potential savings of 35% over current practices, the researchers suggest.
Healthcare professionals were able to identify ‘high’ and ‘low’ risk patients when diagnosing conditions. This was then used to tailor the level of treatment prescribed, and appointments were only created for those who required them.
The ‘high risk’ group was also monitored more closely, leading to better patient care. Technology which allowed patients to electronically monitor their own vitals increased the adherence to prescribed treatment from 30% to 92%.
Professor Van Dyke said: “This is the first time that an analysis has been conducted for the entire value chain of technology investments in healthcare: from healthy individual to initial diagnosis, treatment of disease and eventual recovery or death.
“The technologies that would allow both GPs and patients to do this are currently available on the market, but are not commonly used. It would require substantial investment from the start, but the research has also shown that in the long term, society can also expect a net saving by keeping more people healthy for longer periods of their lives. This is a very important lesson regarding the cost effectiveness of our healthcare.
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