HBSQuarterly

As you are aware, the healthcare industry is facing unprecedented cost pressures from budget holders. Healthcare cost containment and indeed cuts in Europe have put pressure on margins and growth affecting all market participants. However, the aim of these cuts is to maintain the provision of Healthcare as an affordable service to the public. This in turn, means that there are significant opportunities for companies, which take on board the message of delivering cost savings to the healthcare provider. Whether it is Electronic Patient Records that cut administration costs, Telemedicine that can cut hospital bed days and outpatient appointments through to Advanced Woundcare shortening the treatment process, there are new and significant revenue streams for companies which are prepared to work with the budget holder and deliver better care through more efficient means.In this issue of the HBS Quarterly Review we look at some of these opportunities and also touch upon the problems currently facing their realisation. There are still significant challenges facing the industry pertaining to bridging the gap between government healthcare policy and reality. For example, we might touch upon the lack of standardised technologies in Healthcare Information Systems or the current re-imbursement structures not being able to deal adequately with new and innovative treatment pathways as highlighting the obstacles to more competent healthcare delivery. Thus, while the industry is trying to respond to the policymaker’s call for a more efficient healthcare service (through Electronic Patient Records or Diagnostic Related Groups for example), it often faces significant barriers put in place the very system it is trying to improve.

We have chosen some examples that review these issues, and we hope you will find the articles thought-provoking and interesting. HBS Consulting supports its clients in a variety of ways to create strategies that address current and future opportunities in the healthcare market. If you are not already one of our valued clients, I hope you will want to find out more about us and our services. I hope you enjoy reading this issue of the HBS Quarterly Review and would be grateful for any comments you may have about their content.

Rupert Houghton, Director of Business Development