Innovation that matters to you

Thankfully, the use of connected digital devices is rising and rapidly transforming how doctors work and patients live. Take The Personal Health Management System, developed in Shanghai by Philips, for example. A tool for chronic disease management, the system lets medical professionals manage their patients more effectively outside of the hospital and gives patients access to care anytime, anywhere. At the same time, new emerging healthcare service models like medical consortiums are catalyzing the development of the Regional Health Information Systems (RHINs) platform, which will enhance the information sharing and facilitate operations among the community health centers (CHCs), primary hospitals and Level 3 hospitals. Such solutions effectively mitigate the imbalance of health care resources in China, increasing access while lowering the costs.

These and other innovations will transform the health care industry – as long as patients, care providers, the government and insurers are open to them, of course. Everyone will need to adapt to different ways of working, different technologies, new business models and, perhaps most fundamentally, seeing health care not as a cost burden but as an opportunity to innovate.

These innovations will also motivate companies and the government to invest in public-private partnerships as a way to encourage systemic innovation. China’s size requires solutions that are massively scalable, which won't be created unless the private and public sector work closely together.

There is also an important role for multinationals to play. Some of them have been present in China for a long time and operate as local companies that know and serve the population’s needs. Many of them are also trusted and respected brands, which continuously bring innovative health care solutions and services with local insights to improve Chinese people’s health and quality of life.

The public is also a crucial partner in the shift to a more sustainable health system. Like other nations, China has been influenced by globalization and lifestyle changes, leaving many Chinese people suffering from physical inactivity, poor dietary choices and obesity. That’s why it’s so encouraging to see the Government launch programs like Healthy China 2020, which centers on preventing chronic diseases and promoting better lifestyle choices.

Citizens are also getting more health-savvy through social media and becoming more aware of personal health technology. All of this gives confidence that China can – and will – increase the vitality of its health system, led by its own citizens’ aspiration for a healthier future.