The revolution in primary health care: More than innovation

DEVEX
Naomi Mihara

Ronald de Jong, chief market leader at Philips, tells Devex how technology, innovation, and new investment models could be potential game-changers for reach, access and quality in the field of primary health care at a special event titled “Revolutionizing Primary Health Care” in New York for #MakingMarketsWork.

What is the impact of technology, innovation, and new investment models on reach, access and quality in the field of primary health care?

On the sidelines of “Revolutionizing Primary Health Care,” a special event co-hosted by Philips and Devex during #GlobalDev Week in New York, Chief Market Leader, Executive Vice President and Member of the Executive Committee at Royal Philips Ronald de Jong sat down with Devex Partnerships Editor Richard Jones to discuss how these potential game changers could be implemented in a development context.

De Jong discussed how innovations in technology, products, and financing models mean there are more enablers to drive the evolution of primary health care. But he cautioned that “innovation” alone was not enough.

“Just by innovating doesn’t do the trick — they have to be relevant innovations,” de Jong said.

Click on the video above to learn more about the role the private sector plays in leading the revolution in the health care ecosystem.

Making Markets Work is an online conversation to explore what’s being done to make global health care markets accessible to people at the base of the pyramid. Over 10 weeks, Devex and its partners — The Abraaj Group, Philips and Population Services International — will amplify the discussion around effective health financing, analyze key challenges blocking universal market access in the health care supply chain, and explore the key strategies to make markets more effective. Join us as we look at this important issue, and share your thoughts by tagging #MakingMarketsWork and @Devex.