The Health and Care Revolution

The healthcare sector is facing a series of challenges that could seem insurmountable - an increase in demand caused by the ageing population in western, developed countries; the corresponding reduction in the numbers of young people to pay for and resource care; and simultaneous squeezing of funding, eternal issues with the quality of care, and patients' rising expectations. All of this is compounded by advances in medical technology that offer longer, healthier, happy lives while simultaneously increasing the cost burden to the healthcare system. This book collects together the experiences of practitioners, technologists, clinicians, managers and economists in helping to deal with these challenges. The Health and Care Revolution describes through the eyes of real experience the current transformation of healthcare to support healthy living - preventing, detect and managing disease early, and expanding its horizons from essentially acute clinical interventions into a care continuum throughout people's lives. The examples discussed put the individual in the driving seat of their lives, rather than the professionals surrounded by organisation, geography and working practice boundaries. Here you will find, from around the world, experts talking about the ways personal responsibility, access to information, working practices, access to care, and the underlying motivations to change, have been transformed. The eminent authors are often working at the forefront of change in processes, governance, capabilities and technology - and share their pains and gains clearly. With a preface from one of the World Health Organisation's thought leaders, and featuring a wide variety of topics from Information Therapy to changing clinical working practice, via telemedicine to the innovative design of new facilities, The Health and Care Revolution captures essential knowledge for those wishing to drive progress in one of the world's most important industries. The royalties for this book are being donated to charity at the Editors' request.