Unlocking seamless care – innovation through partnerships

Healthcare is being transformed by connectivity, smart systems and the convergence of sophisticated technologies like artificial intelligence and Big Data analytics. Simultaneously, the digitalization of healthcare is accelerating progress in new biomedical disciplines such as genomics, proteomics and metabolomics. Each of which are increasingly becoming part of the doctors medical armamentarium, with a mission to deliver personalized and precision healthcare.

It is vital that we capitalize on the opportunities of digital healthcare to increase access to care, enhance the efficiency of the healthcare system, and improve patient experiences and care professional satisfaction. By combining the expertise and resources of all stakeholders in the health and healthcare ecosystem, we can face down inequity in healthcare and make progress in overcoming the challenges presented by changing demographic trends, the aging population and rising rates of chronic disease

At Philips, working collaboratively in long-term partnerships with our customers, we are leading this transformation. Through long-standing innovation expertise and leadership in health technology, as well as deep consumer intimacy through our personal health activities, we are focused on improving patient experiences and driving better clinical outcomes, wherever possible at lower cost.

Our solutions are in the care pathway – the last “inch” of care delivery to the patient. We help break down siloes, remove complexity and assist real-time decision making through smart workflows that support a more seamless approach to healthcare. And as the healthcare industry continues to shift away from sick care to prevention and healthy living, this approach to seamless care becomes all the more critical.

We are achieving this through leadership in areas like:

• Imaging and diagnostics systems that integrate artificial intelligence, genomics and digital pathology.
• Remote telehealth solutions that raise the standard of ambulatory care in lower cost settings, addressing the general hospital-to-home trend.
• Minimally invasive treatments and image guided therapies that shorten patient recovery and rehabilitation.
• Predictive patient monitoring, health informatics and population health management tools that provide care teams with actionable context and insights, when and where they need it.

And finally, with additional services in change management, consulting, staff training and project finance – by increasingly sharing the risks with customers – we are taking ownership for a wide range of challenges.

For example, in the United States:

1. With Westchester Medical Center in New York, through managed equipment, health informatics and consulting services, we have completely redesigned catheterisation laboratory procedures and clinical protocols across the 1,700 bed health system – optimizing the cardiology care pathway, end-to-end. This workflow solution has reduced patient waiting times by 20%, with higher staff satisfaction and lower costs.*
   
   
2. With Augusta Health in Georgia, we have integrated and standardized radiology procedures with a fully integrated and vendor-neutral IT and workflow solution. As a centrally managed system, the Philips IntelliSpace Portal improves productivity and maximizes clinical resources as an integrated diagnostic imaging platform. Procedural volumes have increased 17%. We’ve also driven a 22% improvement in patient turnaround times.*
   
   
3. With Emory Healthcare in Georgia, Philips has helped expand access and optimize critical care services through a remote patient monitoring eICU solution. In addition, we’ve integrated round-the-clock monitoring and real-time decision support to manage resources, enhance patient rehabilitation and improve long-term health outcomes, saving $4.6M over 15 months.*
   
   
4. With Banner Health in Phoenix in Arizona, our telehealth and care coordination solution is transforming services from hospital to home, with the aim of improving care and reducing costs for a demographic of patients with multiple chronic conditions – a group that accounts for around half of all healthcare spending. The expanded program has reduced overall costs by 35%, with 30-day readmissions and days spent in hospital also falling by 75% and 50% respectively.*

In this way, working collaboratively with our customers, we are sharing the responsibility to help overcome their most significant patient, staff and resourcing challenges – improving outcomes by organizing connected care solutions more seamlessly around people and patients.

The pace of innovation is not slowing, and as the healthcare industry becomes more adept at seamlessly integrating artificial intelligence, genomics and the data capabilities discussed, the potential for further progress and breakthroughs to overcome the global healthcare challenge is fantastic. I will never tire of saying, it’s a tremendously exciting time to be working in health technology!

* Results are specific to the institution where they were obtained and may not reflect the results achievable at other institutions.