Health care's silver lining

Health care’s digital transformation was well underway when the pandemic first hit, but the crisis led to a massive increase in adoption and acceptance of technology by healthcare professionals as well as consumers, patients and carers.

The pandemic has also exacerbated health care’s myriad challenges including staffing issues, surgery backlogs, burnout and poor mental health. “One very small silver lining has been the increasing focus on digital technologies,” said Kartik Natarajan, Managing Director, ANZ at Getinge, a global medical technology company providing healthcare and life sciences equipment and services.

Natarajan sees huge potential for technological innovations, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data to transform healthcare delivery and help ease the burden on our already overloaded health system. As hospitals begin clearing the surgery backlog, maximising efficiency of operating theatres will be critical. “That is something that continues to be a challenge for both public as well as private hospitals in Australia and New Zealand,” he said noting that the other problem that is still quite rampant is the ambulance ramping problem at hospitals. Technological innovations could play a key role in addressing these challenges, improving patient outcomes as well as achieving operational, logistical and cost efficiencies, Natarajan said.

Some of the key focus areas for Getinge in Australia include assisting healthcare providers adhere to the AS/NZS 4187:2014 Reprocessing of reusable medical devices in health service organisations — but in a digital way; helping hospitals optimise workflows in the central sterile services departments (CSSDs) and improving operating theatre efficiencies; supporting vaccine development; strengthening its digital health solutions portfolio; expanding its footprint in specialised areas — for example, ventilation to neonatal ventilation; and bringing new technologies from around the world to Australia.

The company, with a presence in over 125 countries, has a value creation partnership with Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden to improve performance in the CSSD. The project has to an increase in efficiency by 47%; cost reduction of 35%; improved quality of service from 90% on time and correct to 99%; improved working environment via reduction in staff turnover and overtime. We hope to replicate such partnerships in Australia and New Zealand, Natarajan said.

In an effort to fight climate change, Getinge has committed to go carbon neutral by 2025. The company has set up various activities to achieve this goal, including switching to renewable energy sources, updating its vehicle fleet and finding new sustainable logistics solutions, Natarajan said. The carbon neutral target will be reached by a stepwise approach across different areas and supports the company’s objective to contribute to sustainable health care both environmentally and socially.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/danielskyphoto