A new survey, Future Health Index 2024 survey has revealed that 88% of healthcare leaders believe that automation of repetitive tasks can help plug the staffing gap witnessed in the US healthcare system and increase access to care.
The Future Health Index (FHI) survey was conducted by Royal Philips, a global health tech company exploring the prevailing challenges within the US healthcare staffing, and access, as well as innovative technology solutions being employed to address these issues.
Titled Better Care for More People, the ninth annual report, also known as the Future Health Index 2024 report, explores the impact of staffing shortages on clinicians, including burnouts and their ability to deliver timely high-quality care.
The report also highlights how healthcare leaders are scaling their investment in automation and AI-powered platforms to bridge the staffing gaps, ease the growing burden on healthcare professionals, and optimize patient outcomes.
The Future Health Index 2024 Report: Key Trends, Challenges and Solutions
The Future Health Index 2024 report explored major trends including the impact of staff shortages on the existing workforce, how organizations leverage the power of technology to increase access to healthcare services, and tech investments in artificial Intelligence to automate workflow.
Future Health Index 2024 report: Staffing Challenges and Benefits of Technology
According to the report, staff shortage and burnout are the leading factors impacting care quality and access, with 92% of healthcare leaders seeing a decline in staff morale, and deterioration of their mental health and overall well-being.
Staffing challenges have also impacted care delivery significantly, with 81% reporting delays in care delivery due to staff shortages, 88% saying that automation of repetitive tasks in the healthcare sector is critical to address the glaring deficit, and 44% planning to automate workflow prioritization within the next three years.
Increasing Access through Virtual Care
The report also noted that 82% of the leaders admitted that virtual care has had a positive impact on easing staff shortages and increasing access to care, which are some of the long-standing challenges in the US healthcare system.
Additionally, 40% of the leaders used virtual care platforms to extend their services to underserved communities, 45% used remote patient monitoring technology for chronic illness management, and 96% said that a data-driven approach could help lower disparities in health outcomes.
Tech Investments — Leveraging the Power of Artificial Intelligence
The report also noted that healthcare organizations are investing in AI-powered workflow automation and prioritization, with radiology being one of the areas AI-backed technology has been widely implemented for clinical decision support by 27%.
Healthcare organizations have also implemented artificial intelligence solutions in 23% of in-patient monitoring, and 16% in preventive care, while also being used to handle 16% of patient monitoring work.
However, 79% of the leaders fear that widespread implementation of AI may increase data bias and further widen the already existing disparities in healthcare outcomes.
The Future Health Index 2024 report is the largest survey of its kind. It was conducted in 14 countries and with the participation of nearly 3,000 healthcare leaders.
