Healthcare is under pressure worldwide. The demand and costs of healthcare increase every year. And yet the sector has been struggling for years with an ever-growing staff shortage because healthcare professionals are choosing other jobs and the number of medical students is declining. Technologies such as digitalization, remote care and AI are seen as possible (partial) solutions to keep healthcare accessible and affordable. But the bottom line is that health care budgets are declining. More, and different, solutions are needed. Prevention, for example, ensuring that people stay healthy for longer.
During his HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan lecture in Abu Dabi, Lucien Engelen spoke about the challenges in healthcare and how it is high time that healthcare, politics and business start thinking differently about solving the upcoming healthcare crisis. If we continue to look for more staff and resources to provide more care, we will not get there.
Healthcare transition under pressure
Prevention and healthy living is where we need to go. In the Netherlands we have the Prevention Agreement and the Integrated Care Agreement. Plans that should help ensure that healthcare remains affordable and accessible in the future. However, the budgets that the government had allocated for this purpose are under pressure due to the arrival of the new cabinet.
Too much attention is paid to the costs of healthcare and healthcare transition and not to what health – people who stay healthy longer – delivers to the economy. According to Engelen, investing in health, personal health, technology and ICT leads to economic growth. After all, people who stay healthy are more productive throughout their working lives. Those who remain healthy naturally require less care and therefore healthcare costs decrease. Healthy living means living longer and more working years.
M x H = E
David Bloom of the Harvard School of Public Health states in his publication ‘The Effect of Health on Economic Growth’ that an increase in the life expectancy of a people by 1 year can lead to 4 percent economic growth. “Many countries have an economic policy that aims for 2 percent growth, so if we can achieve 4 percent in terms of health, that is a very good one,” says Engelen.
According to Engelen, this is the key to a healthy society and an affordable and high-quality healthcare system, where personalized care is and remains accessible to everyone. We must also realize that investing in health saves money. There are calculations from Harvard that state that every euro invested in health ultimately returns a maximum of nine times that value.
The formula that Engelen has devised to publicize this paradigm change is: M x H = E, or Medicine + Health = Economy. And now is the time to put this formula into practice. Below you can watch Lucien Engelen’s lecture.
Lucien Engelen’s HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan lecture for HH and the invited audience
Lucien Engelen is also one of the keynote speakers at the ICT&health World Conference. There he will share his knowledge, insights and vision about health, technology and the (digital) transformation of healthcare with those present. Claim your ticket now and sign up here.
Healthcare Under Pressure: A Comedy of Errors
Ah, healthcare—the one thing that keeps us all ticking along, functioning like a well-oiled (albeit rusting) machine! It’s under pressure worldwide, and I’m not just talking about your blood pressure after attempting to read your medical bills. The demand and costs of healthcare rise every year, while the number of healthcare professionals seems to be vanishing faster than the contents of my fridge when I accidentally order takeaway for the third time in a week. We’ve got a staff shortage that could rival a magician’s disappearing act! And just when you think it couldn’t get worse, medical students are choosing to seek employment elsewhere, probably in a field where the hours are reasonable and the salary doesn’t involve a degree in financial gymnastics. Fancy that!
Now, let’s throw in some buzzwords for good measure—digitalization, remote care, and AI! Sounds like a game plan, right? But let’s face it, even the fanciest gadgets and gizmos can’t nurse you back to health when your budget is gasping for air! Prevention is the name of the game, my friends. You know, the whole idea of keeping people healthy for a while longer. It’s like ensuring your car runs smoothly so you don’t end up stranded on a deserted road—who knew maintaining our health would require such a cunning strategy?
The Urgent Need for a Healthcare Makeover
During a lecture led by the visionary Lucien Engelen in Abu Dhabi, he called for a revolutionary approach to the healthcare crisis. Can you imagine? Healthcare, politics, and business working together! That’s almost as rare as finding a unicorn working in a supermarket! Engelen’s wisdom hints at the exhausting truth: if we keep scrambling to find more staff and resources to provide care without reevaluating our overall approach, we’re just going to be running in circles. Ever tried to catch a chicken? Spoiler alert: it’s messy!
We’ve got plans like the Prevention Agreement and the Integrated Care Agreement here in the Netherlands, which sound brilliant. Yet these government budgets—like my enthusiasm for morning workouts—are under pressure due to the arrival of a new cabinet. It’s like trying to hold onto a slippery fish; you think you’ve got a handle on it, and then whoosh! It’s gone!
Money Talks, But Health Yells
Engelen points out that far too much focus is landing squarely on the cost of healthcare—like a well-aimed pie in the face—rather than the potential economic benefit of having a healthier populace. If people stay fit and sprightly for longer, they contribute to the economy—they’re productive! Why? Because healthy people aren’t just sitting around waiting for their next hospital appointment; they’re out there making the economy tick like a finely tuned Swiss watch. I mean, if we can increase life expectancy by just one year and yield a 4% economic growth, why aren’t we all sitting in the boardroom plotting world domination with salad wraps?!
Speaking of economics, Harvard’s David Bloom has dropped some enlightening knowledge bombs. The equation M x H = E, or Medicine + Health = Economy, is like a math class most of us could actually get behind. Now, who would have thought that investing in personal health and technology could yield returns as high as nine times the initial investment? That’s either the best bank heist EVER or simply an invitation to a health revolution! Let’s take that formula and run with it, shall we? Preferably not in the wrong direction!
Wrapping It Up in a Healthy Bow
So, get your tickets for Lucien Engelen’s next show, and not just because he’s a keynote speaker at the ICT&health World Conference, but because his ideas might just save healthcare. Or at the very least, give us all an excuse to start eating kale! If there’s anything we’ve learned today, it’s that we need a multi-faceted approach: revolutionize, invest, and—at the very least—keep our sense of humor intact while we navigate this healthcare rollercoaster. Or we might end up in a hospital with an entirely different kind of joke! So, sign up, get involved, and let’s turn this crisis into the punchline of the century!
What are the negative impacts of healthcare on the economy
Ibute more to the economy. Just think about it: a healthy workforce is a productive workforce. So, while we’re counting pennies spent on healthcare, why aren’t we celebrating the dollars we save when fewer people need care? David Bloom from the Harvard School of Public Health agrees, stating that increasing life expectancy can lead to substantial economic growth. It’s a win-win situation if we play our cards right.
**Interview with Lucien Engelen**
**Interviewer:** Welcome, Lucien Engelen! It’s great to have you here to discuss the pressing challenges in healthcare today. Can you start by giving us an overview of the main challenges you spoke about during your lecture in Abu Dhabi?
**Lucien Engelen:** Thank you for having me! The challenges in healthcare are multi-faceted. Firstly, we are witnessing a significant increase in demand and costs, all while facing a steep decline in healthcare professionals. This has created a staff shortage that is alarming. We also need to address the mindset—if we keep simply looking for more staff and resources without reevaluating our approach, we’re simply running in circles.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned the need for a paradigm shift in how healthcare, politics, and business interact. What kind of changes are you envisioning?
**Lucien Engelen:** Absolutely. We need to prioritize prevention and healthy living. Initiatives like the Prevention Agreement and Integrated Care Agreement in the Netherlands are a step in the right direction, but we need financial commitments that match our ambitions. Instead of solely focusing on healthcare costs, we should be investing in health, which, as research shows, ultimately saves money and supports economic growth.
**Interviewer:** It sounds like a lot of this centers around the idea that a healthier population contributes more economically. Can you explain your equation, M x H = E?
**Lucien Engelen:** Of course! M x H = E stands for Medicine plus Health equals Economy. By investing in healthcare and focusing on overall health improvement, we can stimulate economic growth. For instance, every euro invested in health can return much more in economic value as healthier individuals contribute more effectively to the workforce.
**Interviewer:** That’s a compelling argument. How do you see technology playing a role in this shift?
**Lucien Engelen:** Technology is a crucial player. Digitalization, remote care, and AI have the potential to streamline operations and improve patient care. We need to leverage these advancements to create a more sustainable healthcare model. However, we must also remember that technology is not a catch-all solution; our approach to health itself must evolve.
**Interviewer:** Lastly, what message do you want to leave our audience with today regarding healthcare and its future?
**Lucien Engelen:** Investing in health is not just a moral obligation; it’s an economic necessity. To create a future where healthcare is both affordable and accessible, we must work collaboratively—combining efforts from healthcare, politics, and business. Let’s turn our focus from merely treating illness to promoting wellness. Together, we can create a healthier society.
**Interviewer:** Thank you so much, Lucien! Your insights are truly enlightening and essential for navigating the complexities of healthcare today. We look forward to seeing the changes unfold.
**Lucien Engelen:** Thank you for having me! Let’s keep the conversation going.
