The new normal
In elder care, growth and predictability have given way to contraction and instability. In this ‘new normal’, healthcare providers have to deal with three main issues: moving care to the home, shift from effort to results and higher risks persist.
- Moving care to the home. Between 2014 and 2018, residential care is slated to decrease by 22%. This is leading to an increased need for more significant care at home, which is why the 'volledig pakket thuis' (full home care) has grown by 68% per year since 2010. The movement towards home will also affect people with dementia, although currently 86 cents of each euro spent on healthcare costs for this group still goes to nursing homes.
- Shift from effort to results. When it comes to hospital care, being transparent about results leads to better quality care. The introduction of electronic health records, using the Omaha System for example, makes it possible now in elder care as well to gain insight into the relationship between care delivered and outcome. In addition, Zorgkaart Nederland has been making significant headway in measuring client experiences.
- Higher risks persist. Healthcare providers could face up to 1 billion euros in budget cuts in 2018. Risk management therefore requires pragmatism: close locations where occupancy is low, and focus on self-organization and low overhead. It is also important to move towards rewarding results – look beyond prices and opt for innovation in volume and quality.