AMSTERDAM, September 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Philips (NYSE :PHG ) (AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today released a new Future Health Index (FHI) report "Moving data to the heart of health systems: Increasing vital technology adoption to make value-based healthcare a reality ." The research focused on two technology enablers that have the potential to advance integration, and enable data to be used more effectively. Digital identity tools, such as Electronic Health Records (EHRs), based on standardized data and protocols that can be accessed, used and updated by care providers across the health continuum, can make the collection and exchange of healthcare data much easier. Data analytics and AI can mine that data for connections and insights that will benefit both healthcare professionals and patients. This ranges from the identification of health trends at the level of an entire population, to more precise diagnosis, treatment and after care for individual patients.

The latest FHI report identifies the following key recommendations for the way in which health data is collected, shared and used, in order for countries to meet their goals of driving better value in healthcare:

Strike the right balance in data protection and (de)regulation
Foster adoption through education - only 47% of healthcare professionals surveyed and 24% of the general population felt knowledgeable about connected care technologies
Secure buy-in through co-creation of solutions together with healthcare professionals and the general population
Harmonize data collection and use practices - countries with universal EHRs have a higher Value Measure than countries without universal EHRs (47.29 on average vs 39.67), as well as higher average levels of trust (67.79 vs. 62.99)
"The Future Health Index's latest report shows that the smooth exchange of health information is central to delivering better value in healthcare," said Jan Kimpen, Chief Medical Officer for Philips. "By connecting people, data and systems we can create a network that allows information to flow seamlessly across care providers, locations and systems. It is through data that the outcomes that define value are tracked, measured and improved. Yet, health systems around the world are still struggling to collect, organize, analyze and use health data in a meaningful way. The recommendations made in the FHI are designed to address these very challenges and provide actionable next steps that healthcare leaders can take to optimize the value provided by the digital tools they are investing in."

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