28 March 2019 – Healthcare is one of the largest sectors and employers in the world, worth over USD9 trillion globally and consuming an average 10 percent of a country’s GDP. However, with longer life expectancy and global population growth, having enough healthcare facilities and workforce is a growing concern in many countries – especially those that are moving towards an aged society.

KPMG Global Chairman for Healthcare Dr. Mark Britnell warned that a shortfall of 18 million health workers by 2030 will have a devastating impact on the world’s healthcare sector. There is not enough staff to care for patients, and if swift action is not taken, there will soon be a workforce crisis with severe implications on a global scale.

The increase in the elderly population and decrease in children population means that countries are faced with more strain and challenges in the care and support of not only the entire population, but significantly, the elderly.

Since 2014, Thailand has become an aging society with more than 10 million elderly^[1] people accounting for 10 percent of the total population. On the other hand, children under the age of 15 accounts for only 18 percent of the total population, with a significant 2 percent drop each year.

Thailand is predicted to become an ‘aged’ society in 2031 and a ‘super-aged’ society in 2050, with 20 and 30 percent of the total population being aged citizens, respectively. This means that out of every three Thais, one will be a senior citizen.

This demographic shift appears in several countries around the world, particularly in developed countries. However, Thailand will be the first middle income, developing country to enter an aged society while other countries in this aging process will have already escaped the middle income stage. This translates to challenges with employability, lower economic growth, and care and support of senior people.

“Overcoming the health worker deficit and looming staffing crisis presents the single biggest challenge for healthcare during the next decade,” Britnell said. “The short-term fix of simply addressing headcount is too simple and short-sighted – seismic changes are needed across healthcare to avert this impending disaster. If we go about this the right way I believe we can grow the capacity to care by as much as 20 percent to meet the anticipated staff shortfall”.

Thailand is already making efforts on health issues regarding senior citizens. The second National Plan on the Elderly (2002-2021) that was initiated by The National Committee on the Elderly indicates a key strategic plan to establish security and good living standards for seniors. This includes having access to healthy and friendly environment, having appropriate welfare and services, leading a valuable life and having access to data, information and news.

Further actions that Thailand and other countries need to explore is using digital and technological innovations to enhance healthcare and increase productivity, as well as explore new models of care outside of the traditional doctor-patient model.

“By reframing the productivity debate, reimagining clinical services, changing national investment strategies, empowering patients and harnessing the power of technology and AI, we can avoid the inevitably bleak future we face if we carry on as we are,” Britnell concluded.

Thai version: ประเทศไทยกับอายุประชากรที่เพิ่มขึ้นจะทำให้ความต้องการแรงงานด้านการดูแลสุขภาพเพิ่มขึ้น

As the Global Chairman for Healthcare, Government & Infrastructure at KPMG International, Dr. Mark Britnell oversees 40,000 staff across 157 countries.

He is one of the foremost global experts on healthcare systems and has a pioneering and inspiring global vision for health in both the developed and developing world. Mark has dedicated his entire professional life to healthcare and has led organizations at local, regional, national and global levels – provider and payer, public and private. Over the past nine years, he has worked in 75 countries, gaining a unique first-hand experience.

His recent book, Human: Solving the Global Workforce Crisis in Healthcare offers concrete and actionable solutions to navigate the widely anticipated crisis. It comprehensively examines how this issue is currently being experienced across some of the world’s leading health systems and how they are likely to be impacted in the future, while boldly offering 10 solutions to help tackle the deficit. 

As the Global Chairman for Healthcare, Government & Infrastructure at KPMG International, Dr. Mark Britnell oversees 40,000 staff across 157 countries.

He is one of the foremost global experts on healthcare systems and has a pioneering and inspiring global vision for health in both the developed and developing world. Mark has dedicated his entire professional life to healthcare and has led organizations at local, regional, national and global levels – provider and payer, public and private. Over the past nine years, he has worked in 75 countries, gaining a unique first-hand experience.

His recent book, Human: Solving the Global Workforce Crisis in Healthcare offers concrete and actionable solutions to navigate the widely anticipated crisis. It comprehensively examines how this issue is currently being experienced across some of the world’s leading health systems and how they are likely to be impacted in the future, while boldly offering 10 solutions to help tackle the deficit.

KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 153 countries and territories and have 207,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.

KPMG in Thailand, with more than 1,700 professionals offering audit, tax, and advisory services, is a member firm of the KPMG network of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity.

Ploi Phayakvichien

Tel: 02 677 2034

ploi@kpmg.co.th