More Health is Possible – and Necessary – to Respond to Growing Challenges and Opportunities

[Editor's note: This article was written by Chloe Feinberg, knowledge consultant at Ashoka Changemakers®.]

You might think that health care is in dire straits today: Around the world, austerity measures are cutting health care programs, populations are living longer than ever (increasing demands on health services), and diseases and disorders are destabilizing human resources in emerging markets. Moreover, the financial cost of care continues to rise, and many conditions and lifestyles remain largely taboo or ignored.

But as dire as the situation may be, it’s also a time of real hope: Every day, more and more people are taking responsibility for their health, and the health of those around them. And we are experiencing a level of innovation in health care never before seen.

The very notion of “health” is shifting. Patients, consumers, physicians, and caregivers today demand and provide better health for themselves and others. Innovators are rising to the challenge and creating more holistic and revolutionary interventions than ever before.

Mobile phones make it possible to collect and share real-time information about health education, the availability of medicines at certain locations, and treatment choices. Individuals look to their friends, families, and communities for support and care, moving the patient out of the clinic and closer to home, while expanding the definition of the “health care professional.”

Citizen sector organizations, governments, and private entities are leveraging evidence-based medicine to increase health outcomes. And social pressure to “be healthy” is building momentum, pushing more people towards healthier living.

As the health challenges faced by communities and individuals become increasingly pervasive, and as issues that were thought to be local or regional are now popping up globally, the international community has an unprecedented opportunity to share, exchange, collaborate, and build a world where more health is possible for all.

Recognizing the opportunity to catalyze even greater change in the broad field of health, Ashoka and Boehringer Ingelheim have together embarked on a journey to Make More Health. In the context of this partnership, on July 6, 2011, Ashoka Changemakers® and Boehringer Ingelheim launched the Making More Health competition to identify the most innovative, sustainable, and impactful ideas and solutions to bring more health to individuals, families, and communities from around the world.

It is important to understand that “health” does not only refer to clinics and hospitals, or physicians and nurses. True health includes proper sanitation and clean water, nutrition and active lifestyles, health education, information, data, primary and specialized care, support for the elderly and early child development . . . just to name a few.

In order to understand what the future of health care might look like, we first must ask, what are the barriers to more health today? To find the answer, Changemakers spoke with Ashoka Fellows and leaders from around the world who are working to promote lasting change in the field of health. A few common barriers emerged: 

In general, it is difficult to align incentives and health. Healthy people do not always see the value of investing in health. This results in “sick care,” provided only when an illness arises. The financial value of investment in health is difficult to quantify, making long-term health planning a challenge to implement.

For those organizations and individuals who are able to innovate and create positive health outcomes, growing to a large scale in the health sector is another challenge. The differences in city, state, and national health policies can differ widely; navigating policy differences can be a challenge for organizations wishing to expand.

There’s also a real challenge in patients’ experiences: Often, different actors and players in the health system are not coordinated and the patient experience becomes intimidating, complex, and difficult to navigate. It is not uncommon for a patient’s distrust or misunderstanding of the system to lead him or her to avoid care, consultation, or treatment. Better care management and the integration of individuals with health conditions into society is needed, but this is often complex.

Finally, and significantly, there is a lack of cost and price transparency in health. The true cost of care is often unknown to consumers of health, leading to costly treatments that are misaligned with health outcomes. As populations in regions of the world grow older, and as the middle class grows larger in other countries, the demand for health services is ever increasing — but budgets continue to decline.

Faced with these challenges, Ashoka Changemakers and Boehringer Ingelheim seek to identify innovative solutions that address these and other barriers to health through the Making More Health competition. All competition entrants will gain access to a valuable network, feedback, and visibility through the Changemakers platform, and the three most innovative, sustainable, and high-impact entries will each receive a prize of US $10,000 to further their initiatives. 

Now is the time to share your solution, nominate a changemaker, and join the discussion on Changemakers.com. More health is possible in a world in which innovation and collaboration come together. Join us in making more health!

Photo: Icons In Medicine