GE Healthcare exposes deep-rooted challenges for patients and clinicians, fuelling calls for industry-wide transformation

GE HealthCare has released a new report which delves into the pressing concerns faced by patients and clinicians in today’s healthcare landscape. The research aims to amplify the voices of those at the core of healthcare and provide valuable insights for shaping the future of the industry.

With burnout, workforce attrition, and patient backlogs straining health systems, Reimagining Better Health serves as a vital tool to navigate the path forward. Participants were actively engaged in answering thought-provoking questions about the healthcare system based on their personal experiences and observations.

The report shed light on a paradoxical scenario where advancements propelling the system forward also serve as challenges experienced by both patients and clinicians. Distrust in artificial intelligence (AI), technological interoperability issues, workforce burnout, fragmented care collaboration, and accessibility concerns emerged as major pain points in today’s healthcare landscape.

Commenting on these findings, GE HealthCare President and CEO, Peter Arduini, emphasised the significance of acknowledging and addressing the tensions that progress brings. “Resolving these tensions is complex,” Arduini stated. “It starts by listening to those who are at the centre of care.” He further emphasised the study’s role in urging all healthcare stakeholders to innovate and problem-solve with a strong focus on the needs of patients and clinicians. By leveraging these insights, the industry can work together to build a bridge to a more human and flexible healthcare system.

One key revelation from the research is the recognition of the promise of AI in healthcare coupled with a significant lack of trust in the technology. While a majority of clinicians surveyed believe that AI can support clinical decision-making, expedite health interventions, and improve operational efficiency, the study highlighted prevalent scepticism and distrust towards AI in medical settings. Only a fraction of clinicians, 42 percent overall and a mere 26 percent, trust the quality of AI data. Furthermore, clinicians with extensive experience exhibited even higher levels of scepticism, with only 33 percent placing trust in AI data quality.

Dr Guy Lloyd, a prominent cardiologist and diagnostic imaging specialist who participated in the research, stressed the importance of healthcare leaders preparing for the transformative impact of AI. “AI is going to fundamentally change the way people work,” he predicted. “A challenge is making sure everyone is brought along for the ride.”

Another crucial finding of the research revolves around the issue of trust in new care delivery models. Patients expressed a strong desire for greater flexibility in receiving healthcare services, prioritising flexibility even over technological solutions that enable faster detection of health issues. However, the study also highlighted challenges posed by distributed care beyond traditional clinical settings. Half of the clinicians surveyed expressed discomfort with delivering clinical care outside the conventional clinical environment. Patients, too, exhibited apprehension towards at-home or out-of-clinic testing without supervision. Trust in healthcare professionals who are not hospital doctors, nurses, midwives, or pharmacists to provide appropriate health advice was found to be lacking among slightly over half of the patients.

Technological interoperability emerged as a significant concern, with low integration between medical technologies and limited ease of use and intuitiveness reported by clinicians. Despite the desire for relevant patient health data to be seamlessly available across systems and platforms, this remains an unfulfilled aspiration. A significant portion of clinicians expressed doubts about timely access to reliable electronic patient records, while a notable proportion of patients (35 percent) shared concerns about their treating clinicians’ lack of access to their relevant health data.

The study also highlighted a distressing reality: a substantial number of clinicians are actively considering leaving the healthcare industry, with 42 percent surveyed expressing such intentions. The study uncovered that inadequate compensation and poor work-life balance were among the top reasons cited for this trend. Furthermore, a significant portion of clinicians (47 percent) reported feeling unsupported by leadership, contributing to their overall dissatisfaction.

The impact of clinician burnout on patients cannot be ignored either. The study revealed that 43 percent of patients do not feel heard by their clinicians, while less than half (42 percent) believe that clinicians truly empathise with their personal situations and how they affect their treatment.

However, amidst these challenges, there is a unified goal that emerges from the study. An overwhelming 99 percent of clinicians envision a future where patients and care teams are intricately linked through technology solutions, where medical treatment extends beyond traditional clinical environments to patients’ homes, and where the healthcare workforce includes a broader range of healthcare professionals. This shared vision underscores the need for a more human-centered and flexible healthcare system.

With the release of this report, GE HealthCare aims to initiate crucial discussions, forge partnerships, and inspire action among all stakeholders in the industry. Patients, healthcare professionals, leaders, government officials, technology industry experts, and the public are encouraged to join the conversation and contribute to shaping the future of healthcare. By addressing the barriers identified in the study, the collective effort can lead to improved care and an optimized healthcare experience for all.

The report encompasses the perspectives of 2,000 clinicians and 5,500 patients and patient advocates through a quantitative survey. Additionally, qualitative interviews were conducted with 24 healthcare experts across eight countries spanning North and South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.

The urgency to transform the healthcare system is evident. The report is a call to action for stakeholders to collaborate, innovate, and shape a future where healthcare is patient-centric, technologically advanced, and sustainable.

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