News and Insights
Prioritizing Sustainability Across the Health System
May 1, 2022
The health system is at a crossroads.
The world is struggling to recover from both the pandemic and its devastating impacts on global industries and communities. And yet, COVID-19 offered an opportunity for decision makers across government and health to gain insights and learn lessons about preventing future global health crises. It may go too far to call this a silver lining, but the need to switch from a reactive healthcare model, rooted in treating individuals after they display symptoms, to a preventative model has never been clearer.
However, evolution to a preventative healthcare model will take more than simply recognizing existing deficiencies in preparedness and processes and identifying the need for improvement. To create the fundamental shift needed throughout the health ecosystem, we must prioritize finding sustainable solutions that support all of its critical components.
I recently attended the Reuters Digital Health 2022 meeting, and ‘sustainability’ was a key thematic through-line in presentations and networking discussions. While sustainability is frequently mentioned in conversations about individual components of the health system, it became apparent that these components are reliant on each another and that supporting and leveraging their interconnectedness is the key to sustainable success. When we think about sustainability, we should consider a few critical elements:
In public relations, we work with clients across the industry who are striving to remove obstacles to sustainability in their specific fields. As good communications partners, we can ensure sustainability remains at the forefront of the conversation and encourage partnerships that are rooted in a commitment to progress. These partnerships not only allow the sharing of knowledge and best practices, but they also allow us to amplify clients’ sustainability efforts and their effectiveness more efficiently. Only together can we drive meaningful change.
There isn’t a “silver bullet” solution to building sustainability, but recognizing the additive power of connectivity is the first, critical step. As communicators, we must think through solutions that support and connect patients, caregivers, and medical professionals to ensure the health system is as mindful, efficient, successful, and sustainable as possible.
POSTED BY: Ryan O’Grady
