Market Challenges: Lack of healthcare infrastructure and resources

Lack of proper healthcare infrastructure and resources can hamper the global healthcare reimbursement market growth. Many developing nations still struggle with basic healthcare facilities and services for their populations. If primary healthcare needs are not met, it becomes very challenging for reimbursement policies and systems to take hold. For instance, according to WHO, in Africa, only 30% of the population has access to basic healthcare services as of 2022. Most rural regions and underdeveloped areas have few or no hospitals, clinics and community health centers. There is also massive shortage of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals across several African nations as majority of trained staff migrate to developed countries due to poor working conditions and low wages at home. Without fundamental healthcare infrastructure and frontline services, people have very little incentive to invest in insurance policies or opt for reimbursement options. Countries like India, Indonesia, Philippines and Kenya have made progress but healthcare accessibility is still not universal. There are huge disparities between urban and rural populations. According to World Bank Data, over 100 million people get pushed below poverty line every year, thus, paying for healthcare needs out of their own pockets in India and China. This is primarily due to lack of public health coverage and affordability of private medical insurance or company plans for lower income demographics.

Market Opportunities: Emerging applications in homeland security and defense sectors

The emergence of complex disease management programs can offer opportunities for the global healthcare reimbursement market growth. As rates of chronic diseases rises around the world due to increasing life expectancies and lifestyle changes, there is growing need for comprehensive and coordinated care over long periods of time. Disease management programs aim to address this need through multidisciplinary care teams that closely monitor patients, ensure these receive recommended treatments and screenings, and provide education to empower patients in self-managing their conditions. This approach lead to improved health outcomes as compared to routine or episodic care, especially for complex patients with multiple chronic diseases that require inputs from several medical specialists. For example, diabetes management programs that emphasize regular checkups, diet and lifestyle counseling, and coordinating care among primary doctors, endocrinologists and other providers can reduce hospitalizations and healthcare costs for patients with both diabetes and heart disease, according to a 2021 study conducted across nine European countries.