This would be main takeaway from this year's EIT Health Summit in Paris, said by Prof Zirui Song from Harvard Medical School. He was showing a number of examples how doctors in the same region are not following proper care guidelines, often over-prescribing both drugs and procedures, which do not improve care quality.
There is a huge disparity between the quality of treatment between doctors in the same region. For example in case of bronchitis prescribed #antibiotics should be zero, but we see huge difference in reality.
Also Prof. Gregory Katz from University of Paris School of Medicine was sharing his findings how much hospital outcomes can differ within European countries.
Differences in hospital outcomes:
- 31 times variation in capsule complications after cataract surgery in Sweden
- 15 times variation in 30-day mortality rates after emergency hospital admissions for COPD in England
- 11 times variation in severe incontinence after radical prostatectomy in Germany
- 7 times variation in mortality rate after rectal cancer surgery in Belgium
- 3 times variation in complications after colon cancer surgery in the Netherlands.
As the value = quality / spending, then best value is provided by focusing on the quality of care while reducing the expenses. Instead of over-prescribing (and spending), we need to focus what are the medical needs of the patient with quality solutions. And point them in the right direction, where the best expertise can be found.
Using tech we can discover these differences and figure out where to go, both at home and while abroad, to get the best care outcomes, when having merely a flu or something more severe. That's why Nursebeam is with you instantly anywhere you might be.