Industry Dynamics: 2010 Guide to European Healthcare for Technology Providers

Governments across Europe are struggling with budget deficits. Healthcare expenditures, as a large part of each country’s GDP, undergo intense scrutiny as budgets shrink. The rising proportion of elderly people, the related increase in chronic illnesses, and the surge of costs associated with medical advancements have cleared the way for healthcare spending to rise at higher rates than before. As a result, healthcare costs have outgrown the available funding, and EU governments face the precarious challenge of how to finance their countries’ healthcare. Hence, stakeholders in the healthcare industry - insurers, providers, and state agencies alike - are looking to a more cost-efficient provision of healthcare. This is where IT can make a significant contribution. Technology vendors must understand the ecosystem of the healthcare industry and its challenges to be in a better position to provide a portfolio that best addresses the industry’s pain points.