Embrace the future: Six megatrends shaping healthcare

Accelerated change

With technological development happening at unprecedented speed, innovations that once took years now take just weeks – and at a fraction of the cost. This acceleration is evident across various domains, from the digital to the physical. Knowledge is produced faster, legislation is introduced more rapidly, and we are forced to manage more relationships, information, variables, and data.

Organisations are launching products more frequently and with shorter development cycles. New collaboration platforms and technologies are reducing marginal production costs for goods and services, driving them towards near-zero costs for new units. Consequently, organisations must implement strategies to handle future ethical, political, social, economic, and climatic uncertainties.

In the healthcare sector, accelerated change comes with profound implications. Rapid technological advancements enable the development of innovative medical treatments and diagnostic tools at an unprecedented pace. This can lead to quicker implementation of cutting-edge therapies and more efficient healthcare delivery. However, the fast pace of change also presents challenges, such as the need for continuous training among healthcare professionals to keep up with new technologies and the potential for increased disparities in access to advanced treatments. As the pace of change continues to accelerate, the healthcare sector must remain agile and proactive in addressing these challenges to fully realise the benefits of technological advancements.

Blended realities

Blended realities arise when physical and virtual worlds meet and begin to overlap. Here, the boundary between physical and virtual reality is blurred, creating a single, blended reality. Blended realities are already part of our lives, with social media, the metaverse, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) influencing gaming, shopping, education, production, and healthcare. The potential for blended realities is far greater than what we see right now. By 2030, nearly 60% of the world's population is expected to be users of a metaverse-like experience (i.e., living in a blended reality).

In the healthcare sector, blended realities have significant implications. They enable immersive training for medical professionals through VR simulations, enhancing their skills and preparedness. AR can assist surgeons during operations by overlaying critical information directly onto their view, improving precision and outcomes. Additionally, blended realities can facilitate remote consultations and treatments, making healthcare more accessible. However, the integration of these technologies also raises concerns about data security and the need for robust regulatory frameworks to ensure patient safety and privacy. As blended realities continue to evolve, addressing these challenges will be crucial to fully realising their potential in healthcare.

Enhanced humans

Enhancing human capabilities is an ancient trend. Since the dawn of humanity, we have used technology to augment our capabilities and do things we could not do with our bare hands. In the modern context, "human enhancement" and "enhanced humanity" refer to ways of using technology to modify or extend the characteristics or abilities we are born with. These technologies offer numerous advantages, enabling us to be stronger and faster than biology alone would allow. Furthermore, these advancements make it possible to understand, map, and monitor human health in real time.

The concept of enhanced humans introduces both exciting possibilities and significant challenges in the healthcare realm. Advanced technologies, such as genetic engineering, neural implants, and wearable devices, can significantly improve health outcomes by enabling real-time health monitoring and personalised treatments. This capability will allow us to tailor treatments to individual needs and proactively prevent future diseases, greatly improving overall health outcomes. However, the ethical dilemmas associated with human enhancement are substantial. Questions about the extent to which we should alter the human body and mind, the potential for inequality in access to these technologies, and the definition of what it means to be human must be carefully considered.

Tailored society

We already live in a society where the possibilities for customising solutions are virtually endless. Commercial and non-profit actors use need-based segmentation, personas, user journey design, and service personalisation to tailor value creation to increasingly specific target groups. The ability to think about and work with individual or group needs and desires systematically is becoming more widespread among organisations.

This development is supported by an increasing ability to capture and analyse data points, providing insights into our preferences, expected behaviour, and purchasing patterns. This evolution is driving up expectations for a tailored society. As citizens, we increasingly expect our needs to be considered when interacting with public services. There is also a growing expectation for influence and autonomy, allowing us to have control over our own experiences and lives.

This shift places significant demands on the healthcare sector to adapt and provide personalised care. Healthcare providers must leverage advanced data analytics and real-time health monitoring to offer customised treatments and preventive measures, ensuring that individual health needs are met efficiently and effectively. As the trend towards customisation continues to grow, the healthcare sector must remain agile and proactive in addressing these challenges to fully harness the benefits of a tailored approach to health and wellness.

Hyperconnectivity

A hyperconnected world is one where everything that benefits from being connected is connected. In such a world, all people are part of a vast network, information can be transferred easily and quickly, and machines can communicate both internally and with humans. Hyperconnectivity means that everything communicates – person to person, person to machine, and machine to machine. This trend is accelerating rapidly, with over 4 billion people connected to the internet and more than 6 billion owning smartphones.

In the healthcare sector, hyperconnectivity has profound implications. It enables real-time monitoring of patients through wearable devices, allowing for continuous health data collection and analysis. This can lead to early detection of potential health issues, personalised treatment plans, and more efficient management of chronic diseases. Additionally, the integration of data from various sources can enhance the accuracy of diagnoses and the effectiveness of treatments. However, this hyperconnectivity also raises concerns about data privacy and security, as sensitive health information becomes more vulnerable to breaches. Therefore, while the potential benefits of hyperconnectivity in healthcare are significant, it is crucial to address these challenges to ensure that patient data is protected and used responsibly.

Holistic sustainability

Sustainability, understood as our ability to ensure a society that meets the needs of current and future generations, has become omnipresent in our lives. Driven by climate and energy crises and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, we are all aware of the importance of sustainable solutions for both our present and future lives.

Sustainability is increasingly viewed holistically, encompassing social and economic aspects such as mental and physical health, human rights, equality, diversity, and inequality. These perspectives are crucial for ensuring a sustainable society in the future. In the years to come, sustainability in thought and action will become more prevalent as the way to ensure a world that meets the needs of both current and future generations.

The holistic approach to sustainability has profound implications for the healthcare sector. By integrating social and economic aspects such as mental and physical health, human rights, equality, diversity, and inequality into sustainability efforts, healthcare providers can contribute to a more just and healthy society. This involves prioritising preventive care and ensuring that healthcare services are accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status. Additionally, sustainable healthcare practices, such as reducing the environmental impact of medical facilities and promoting the use of eco-friendly medical products, are essential for long-term health outcomes.

Navigating the future

The six megatrends – accelerated transformation, holistic sustainability, hyperconnectivity, blended realities, enhanced humanity, and a tailored society – present both challenges and opportunities for the healthcare sector. By understanding and acting upon these trends, healthcare organisations can innovate and adapt to ensure a resilient and responsive sector that meets the needs of current and future generations.

Accelerated change demands that the healthcare sector rapidly integrate new technologies and methodologies to stay ahead. Holistic sustainability emphasises the need for healthcare practices that are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. Hyperconnectivity requires seamless integration of data and communication across various platforms to enhance patient care and operational efficiency. Blended realities, through the use of augmented and virtual reality, offer new ways to train healthcare professionals and treat patients.

Enhanced humans (or, indeed, humanity), with a focus on using technology to extend human capabilities, will enable us to understand, map, and monitor human health in real time. This will facilitate tailored treatments and proactive disease prevention, significantly improving health outcomes. Concurrently, the evolution towards a tailored society raises expectations for personalised care, placing increasing demands on the healthcare sector to adapt and provide individualised services.

As we move forward, it is crucial to incorporate these megatrends into the development of the healthcare sector, creating new opportunities and inspiring new ways of thinking. Healthcare providers must leverage advanced data analytics and real-time health monitoring to offer customised treatments and preventive measures, ensuring that individual health needs are met efficiently and effectively. Those who can quickly identify relevant challenges and opportunities and effectively shape their response will be the most successful in the future.

By embracing these megatrends, the healthcare sector can not only navigate the complexities of the future but also thrive, delivering a healthier, more responsive, and more personalised healthcare experience for all.