31

Women in Healthcare

Today,healthcaresystemsaroundtheworldare
experiencinganeraofrapidanddramaticchangeas
theystruggletocopewithageingpopulations,
technologicaladvances,risingexpectationsandspiraling
costs.Practicalanswerstodifficultquestionsare
needed,particularlyinSouthAfricawhereweareinthe
midstofaquietrevolutioninhealthcare.Itisclearthat
whatourSouthAfricanmarketneedsisinnovation.The
next10yearswillnotonlyseeaparadigmshiftinthe
waythedifferentroleplayersengage,aswellasthe
expectationsthatpatientshave,butalsoadramatic
changeinthelegislativeenvironmentandtheroleofthe
State,inthesector.

KPMGishonouredtohavebeeninvolvedintheBWA’s
WomeninHealthleadershipbreakfast.Thisforum
providedauniqueopportunityforkeystakeholdersin
thehealthcaresectortocometogether,todiscussthe
complexitiesandopportunitiesofourhealthcare
system.TheBreakfastcreatedaplatformtopromote
thought

leadership

through

robust

debate

and

discussion,inaspacefreefromfearandprejudice.

Theunderlyingtoneofthemorningwasthatmajor
transformationalchangecannolongerbedelayed.
Hospitalsneedradicalapproachestoreshapetheir
operatingmodels.Manyhospitalshavetheopportunity
totransformthemselvesinto‘healthsystems’-
providingnewformsofmoreextensiveandintegrated
careandtakingmoreriskandaccountabilityfor
outcomes.

Itwasalsoclearthatnewsystemsandrevised
methodologyaroundpatientcareisrequired.Asone
physicianputit,cliniciansneedtochangetheirrole
from‘Godtoguide’.Patientsshouldbeviewedas
partners.

Weconsideredthedilemmasfacinghealthproviders,in
ourrapidlychangingenvironment.Providersof
healthcareneedtoquicklymakedecisionsregarding
whethertheywanttocontinuetotransactortransform,
togrowortoevolve,tobeapassivepartneroractive
change-agent.

Weareproudtobeakeysponsorforthisimportant
pieceofthoughtleadership,whichsetsoutsomeofthe
important‘nextsteps’thatourhealthcaresystemneeds
tobethinkingabout,inthecomingmonthsandyears.

Here’stoBWA,aswetogether-throughinnovative
partnershipsandcollaboration–worktowards
correctingtheinjusticesofthepast,evolvetoward
universalhealthcoverageanddemandhigher
qualitycare.

Dr Anuschka Coovadia

KPMG Africa Health Team –Senior 
Health  Advisor –KPMG

Sponsors message

KPMG

10