In total, the report identifies five key factors that are potential, though not insurmountable, barriers to widespread telehealth adoption: outdated reimbursement and payment models, cultural attitudes, lack of financial incentives, restrictive policies, and inadequate technological infrastructures, such as broadband access. Drawing on the results of academic studies and in-depth interviews with key opinion leaders, it puts forward a set of actionable recommendations to overcome these barriers.

The report ends with a clear statement that, as with other aspects of connected care, success in telehealth will ultimately be based on the involvement of multiple actors – healthcare professionals, the general population, payers, regulators and the private sector – together with the recognition that healthcare is, at heart, a human field that depends on people.

The Future Health Index
The Future Health Index (FHI) [2] is a research-based platform designed to help determine the readiness of countries to address global health challenges, such as the aging population, and build sustainable, fit-for-purpose national health systems. Conducting research that spans 16 countries using a multitude of metrics, one of its key findings is that integrating connected care technology into health systems can accelerate countries along the path to value-based healthcare, delivering better patient outcomes at lower cost via patient-centric delivery models. The latest report focuses on telehealth as a driver of change in the transition to value-based healthcare and universal health coverage, one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



[1] Small base size, findings should only be used directionally.

[2] The FHI survey data was collected January 18, 2017 to March 3, 2017 for 15 of the 16 countries analyzed in 2018 (Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the US) in their native language. The survey had an average length of 25-30 minutes. A combination of online, face-to-face (computer-assisted) and phone (computer assisted) interviewing was used. Survey data for India was collected during February 16, 2018 to March 26, 2018 in a manner consistent with the other countries in 2017. The total sample from the survey includes 3,244 healthcare professionals (defined as those who work in healthcare as a doctor, surgeon, nurse practitioner, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse or nurse across a variety of specializations) and 24,654 adults (representative of each country's respective adult population). Further details on methodology and a full list of sources is available here.

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