Taking a patient-centric approach to healthcare

Dr. Anna van Poucke, Leadership | Article Posted date18 September 2023

As an industry, healthcare is at a tipping point. Healthcare systems around the world are struggling with the same issues related to service access and demand, workforce shortages and staff burn out. Radical transformation is needed in the ways healthcare systems are operated because historic approaches are unlikely to be effective in responding to the magnitude of the industry’s current and future challenges.

In my role as KPMG’s Global Head of Healthcare, I’ve travelled to many countries, regions and territories to meet with policy makers and experts. Although healthcare systems may be different, they are all struggling with the same issues and one thing is clear, healthcare leaders are under immense pressure to take action. I feel strongly that an inclusive approach to transformation should be taken in addressing healthcare’s challenges, and approach through which technology, communities and workforces are leveraged together, not having different solutions for each of these fields, but implementing solutions that address multiple elements of the issues at hand.

Investing in technology and digital infrastructures while taking a patient-first, inclusive approach to future planning, has the power to unlock a truly transformative future for healthcare – one that is more agile, more local and more data-driven, where individuals and communities take a more active role in shaping the services they need and can access in their areas.

In a recent KPMG study, 78 percent healthcare leaders in provider organizations around the world told us they believe their industry is in need of “disruption and change”. But, notwithstanding the clear awareness of the need for change, there was also a consistent contradictory theme throughout this study, with most healthcare CEOs holding well-intentioned transformation ambitions but having yet to initiate or implement many of them. In my conversations with health leaders across the globe, it’s become clear that there is no conscious intent by these leaders to dismiss transformation. On the contrary the sooner they can embark on the journey the better. In practice, however, the size and complexity of the transformation needed is simply too heavy to be carried only on the shoulders of provider organizations.

My personal ambition and priority within KPMG is to help unlock some of the possibilities to transform healthcare and explore how new innovations such as generative AI can be put to effective use to help with a much-needed purpose-led transformation.

Real change can only be effectively realized with collaboration and I’m proud to announce that KPMG is expanding its long-standing relationship with Oracle to include a focus on Oracle Health – a global tech organization that is at the beating heart of developing intelligent, intuitive and secure digital tools to improve healthcare access, drive faster, better decision making, lower costs and ultimately help to save and improve lives.

This expansion, built on an existing thirty-year relationship, is focused on combining KPMG’s industry insight and experience with Oracle Health’s world-leading suite of technology – giving our clients and the wider healthcare sector a truly connected service offering – KPMG Powered Enterprise enabled by Oracle Health.

Every citizen of the planet – regardless of location or circumstances, will engage and interact with healthcare providers at various points in their life. Healthcare systems and the millions of people who keep them functioning are at the beating heart of keeping our world healthy and sustainable.  To ensure the various systems throughout the planet continue to grow and help shape healthy, equitable societies, patient-centric innovation will be key. I’m confident KPMG and Oracle Health’s strengthened alliance will play its part in building that future. This week, I’m attending the Oracle Health Conference, and it’s no coincidence that it’s taking place at their annual tech and aps conference, because it’s all related – technology is a key part of that so much needed transformation of our healthcare systems.

Dr. Anna Van Poucke, Global Head of Healthcare, KPMG