Lifestyle related diseases ‘on the rise in GCC states’

Diabetes is a huge burden on healthcare systems in the GCC, with an annual average cost of approximately $5,000 for patients with no complications and three times that amount for those who encounter complications, a study has revealed.

“There is an increase in lifestyle related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity in the GCC countries,” said Kapil Bhatia, principal, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which conducted the study.

Highlighting that no cure for diabetes is expected before 2030, the study has suggested Qatar and other GCC countries need to manage diabetes with a number of initiatives.

According to a statement issued by Action on Diabetes (AOD) late last year, about 16% of the adult Qatari population between the age of 20 and 79 suffers from diabetes.

The BCG research to assess the impact of diabetes globally has pointed out that despite the long-term outlook on a cure for diabetes, governments can play a critical role in driving better outcomes for patients and removing costs from the healthcare system in the GCC.

The year-long study identified four specific levers that governments can utilise to improve the situation. It says that governmental intervention to support the private sector to diagnose and treat basic forms of diabetes is highly beneficial. Working with private and semi-government entities can enhance access to consumer data and early diagnosis and treatment for patients.

Another measure can be the push for targeted treatments through an integrated care model. The integrated care offers the possibility to cut cost and offer care along the whole value chain.  The concept is centred on the fact that one entity is fully responsible for the care of the diabetic patient, from co-ordinating treatment to seeing specialists to following up on compliance and the way care is delivered. This is a critical lever for GCC governments to push as government entities often control upwards of 50% of the provision.

Further, there must be a quantum leap in population level programmes to create a platform to promote preventive measures. It is critical for the governments to significantly expand these initiatives to target those endangered by diabetes from a young age.

According to the study, there is a need for a revamp in payment models to focus on outcomes of diabetes treatment. In healthcare, payment models set up the incentives and hence drive the behaviours of the players. 

Addressing diabetes effectively requires a change in behaviour of players. Current payment models are designed to support episodic care and have few elements tied to outcomes.

It is critical that providers deliver integrated care as opposed to episodic care, while it is important that patients improve compliance with care and make the lifestyle changes required, the study has added.