Opinion Article: People, Politics and Personalities - How Changing Attitudes is the Final Step to Integrated Care
Integrating health and social care has been on the national agenda for over 20 years and despite the introduction of various policies, strategies and initiatives to deliver it, we are still not there yet. The well-documented drivers for joining up health and social care, such as capacity issues in acute hospitals and people living longer, is resulting in a situation which is unsustainable, meaning the way we deliver care should change in a radical way.
By Shane Tickell, CEO, IMS MAXIMS.
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) reports fourth-quarter comparable sales growth of 7%; operational results up by 20%; 2013 financial targets achieved. Healthcare comparable sales grew by 4% year-on-year. Customer Services recorded high-single-digit growth, while Home Healthcare Solutions achieved mid-single-digit growth. Imaging Systems and Patient Care & Clinical Informatics recorded low-single-digit growth. In growth geographies, comparable sales showed double-digit growth year-on-year, with strong increases in China, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America and Middle East & Turkey.