Insights

Provision of Healthcare To Patients, and M&A

October 10, 2019

The provision of healthcare to patients is the delivery of interventions within an organizational or home setting, including medical services, devices, health insurance, pharmaceuticals, and facilities.

Healthcare Around the World

The provision of public healthcare was not a priority until the last 100 years. Prior to World War I, public healthcare expenditure on healthcare was less than 1% of all national incomes worldwide. Today, the countries with the highest levels of public healthcare spending commit nearly 10% of their national revenue to it.

Wealthier nations spend more per person on healthcare and, not surprisingly, they have longer rates of life expectancy.

In most countries, government is heavily involved in healthcare markets. And in most wealthy countries, such as in Europe and Canada, the government runs the healthcare system. Universal healthcare is achieved in these nations through:

  • Government tax-funded systems
  • Privately run but government funded systems
  • Private insurance but with regulation and subsidies to ensure universal coverage and non-discrimination based on pre-existing conditions

The United States is the only industrialized nation with no universal healthcare option, where big pharmaceutical companies and insurance giants wield heavy influence on the industry.

Many developing countries make an effort to provide universal healthcare but face challenges associate with poverty, corruption, and inequality. There is also reliance on foreign aid.

A major difference between government-funded and market-based healthcare lies in the realm of medical innovation and advancement in new, effective treatments. Under government-financed systems, price and budgetary limits and other restrictions reduce investment in medical research.

Healthcare provision is extremely complex and is also subject to cultural, political, social, and economic conditions. This makes the sector very different from other business markets that operate based on supply and demand, especially when governments ensure that healthcare provisions are distributed in adherence with certain policies.

 

 

A New Era in Healthcare Provision

Healthcare spending makes up a growing share of the world economy. As the 21stcentury progresses, the provision of healthcare to patients is undergoing changes to the overall landscape. People are living longer and spending more on healthcare. Evolving technologies are changing every aspect of healthcare. Chronic diseases remain a burden on healthcare systems. And more integration is needed for the continued improvement of the provision of healthcare to patients.

New technologies, such as fitness monitors for example, are empowering people to take more control over their own health. There is an opportunity to further help patients play a larger role in symptom disease management and their overall health through continued innovation in the healthcare sector.

There is a massive opportunity to improve patient outcomes through the engagement between clinicians and patients. Healthcare facilities are being reimagined so that they are designed around patient experiences rather than the need of the providers. They are also being digitally equipped with interfaces that streamline admission processes and recordkeeping, improve the continuity of care, and ultimately provide better patient care. New digital frameworks are allowing facilities to be updated rather than entirely rebuilt when technology undergoes drastic changes.

Integrated care is a growing focus in the healthcare provisions sector. How communities work with facilities is being reexamined to formulate the right platforms for patients and alleviate the demand for inpatient beds.

Healthcare Provision and M&A

Mergers and acquisitions in healthcare tend to always be a topic of debate, as they can have a serious impact on the patient experience. And as M&A healthcare deals become more frequent, concerns over monopolies arise. However, structure changes can be quite vital for some companies to survive in an ever-evolving industry. Additionally, M&A can actually help patients have better access to quality care and improve costs.

  • According to the American Hospital Association, certain mergers can boost access to capital and other resources, lowering costs for patients.
  • When small independent facilities are acquired by larger organizations, they can remain open and patients do not lose access to care.
  • Under a merger, it is common to streamline protocols, which can lead to enhancements and new standards in quality care. This can also reduce the instances of patients undergoing surgical procedures at a facility with limited experience in that area.

Contact Us

Is it time to make a deal? At Benchmark International, our expert M&A advisors are looking forward to your call. Together we can do great things.

 

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