Improving access to healthcare and the quality of treatment for everyone

COVID-19 is continuing to place an enormous strain on the healthcare sector. From the workforce to infrastructure and the supply chain, there’s no doubt the pandemic has exposed the fragilities of systems, the inequalities within society and shown that healthcare is not as accessible as it should be.

The crisis has, however, also reshaped the concept of collaboration. Communities come together to support doctors and nurses in the field; businesses had to learn to engage with their employees and customers in completely different ways; healthcare professionals and governments had to adapt to providing remote care while at the same time dealing with mounting pressure on hospitals; vaccines had to be collaboratively developed, trialled, produced and distributed across the world.

In this landscape, the importance of data and connectivity can’t be underestimated.

I believe digitalisation now provides a unique opportunity not only to improve the quality of care and make it more inclusive but also to create a new, more resilient, healthcare ecosystem, in Europe and beyond.

5G and the Internet of Things (IoT), in particular, will play a massive part in this over the coming years as authorities seek to improve the infrastructure these systems rely on and provide more efficient ways of diagnosing and treating patients.

This isn’t about robots, it’s about humans

With the power to improve the lives of patients by individualising treatment plans and giving them access to care anytime wherever they are, digitalisation can also help hospitals maximise staff and resources.

We’ve already seen how technology has supported vaccine distribution, hospital care, delivery of medicines and even the continuation of dental care in Spain since the start of the crisis. And that’s before we look at the wider use cases being explored such as remote live-operated theatre and connected ambulances.

Resilient society

The healthcare sector, more than others, is at a crossroads today.

On the one hand, the need to “build back better by design” is imperative for it and its recovery must be focused not just on the economy, but also on ensuring more people have access to quality care.

On the other hand, the whole sector has been under mounting pressure over the past few years, having to deal with increased demand and higher financial scrutiny.

Digitalisation offers the best way forward to rebuild a healthcare system that is resilient, efficient and patient-centric, not just today, but for years to come.

Care where we need it

To support the transformation of the sector and healthcare organisations, we have announced a strategic alliance with Deloitte, launching the Vodafone Centre for Health with Deloitte.

This virtual centre will bring together our expertise in connected health solutions with Deloitte's healthcare consulting experience to enable many more people to access healthcare when and where they need it.

Together, we will simplify access to connected healthcare and digital healthcare solutions for both patients and professionals, delivering more vital services to patients where and when they need it – whether it be through telemedicine, virtual medical consultations, or remote solutions.

The centre will initially focus on the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, but with plans to expand into additional countries across Europe, Africa and beyond.

Learn more about how we’re working with Deloitte on our Centre for Health.