Integrated healthcare drives innovation: Mass General Brigham leads the way
4 minutes read
- Mass General Brigham, the health system founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, explains how integrated healthcare drives innovation.
Boston, MA, September 2023.- Mass General Brigham, the integrated healthcare system founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, reaffirmed its commitment to the international health sector and to finding solutions to the challenges it faces today. Quality of care, technology and treatments, and the burden of chronic diseases in the population, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, have brought rapid and unprecedented change to the field.
The healthcare system, which has more than 2,900 physicians and 16 member institutions, is part of the Boston community, with more than 200 years of tradition focused on pushing the boundaries of knowledge and finding new and innovative ways to benefit patients around the world.
“Given the challenges facing the health sector, collaboration between hospitals and health systems is needed to deliver better care, especially in regions such as Latin America,” said Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, Chief Community Health and Health Equity Officer at Mass General Brigham. “Today we are presenting our system as another option for this region, seeking to contribute to better health and well-being.”
Latin America faces a number of challenges in the health sector, including rising rates of chronic disease, a shortage of providers and high healthcare costs. According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, more than 32% of total health spending in the region is out-of-pocket spending by households. This means that almost a third of the cost of healthcare in Latin America and the Caribbean comes out of patients’ pockets – far from the figure in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, where it is around 21%.
An innovation-focused approach to developing treatments
Mass General Brigham has one of the largest research programmes in the United States, with an annual research budget of almost 2 billion dollars, funding more than 2,700 clinical trials to speed up the introduction of new treatments, technological advances and therapies for patients around the world.
“We know the importance of research and innovation, and the role our patients play in it. Our hospitals are dedicated to discovering new treatments and cures for a wide range of medical conditions. Among the newest are gene therapies, which involve transferring or replacing genes in patients’ cells; targeted therapies that focus on treatments specific to each patient, for example targeting a particular mutation in a type of cancer; and of course the incorporation of artificial intelligence and robotics,”explained Elsie Taveras.
The use of technology such as artificial intelligence to improve clinical decision-making, virtual care to provide remote and accessible consultations, and the development of advanced medical tools and devices are some of Mass General Brigham’s latest advances with far-reaching implications for patients.
Its focus on ongoing research has served the prevention, diagnosis and development of new treatments for diseases in oncology, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, diabetes and endocrinology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, rheumatology and orthopaedics.
Cutting-edge healthcare from Boston for the world
Mass General Brigham cares for more than 1.5 million patients from over 140 countries every year, providing personalised care in its renowned academic medical centres affiliated with Harvard Medical School, community and specialty hospitals, community health centres, home care and long-term care services.
“We work to understand the unique healthcare needs of local and global communities in order to develop programmes and services that address those needs. We also seek to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive health system, striving to provide equitable care and create a welcoming environment. Today, we are delighted to share all of this with patients from Latin America and the Caribbean,” concluded Dr. Taveras.
About Mass General Brigham
Mass General Brigham is an integrated healthcare system that brings together great minds in medicine to improve the lives of patients around the world. The system is made up of 16 member institutions, including 5 hospitals ranked among the best in the nation by US News & World Report: Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Mass Eye and Ear, McLean Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation. It also includes community and specialty care centres, health insurance plans, physician networks, home care and long-term care services.
Mass General Brigham is a nonprofit organisation committed to patient care, teaching and research. With an annual research budget of almost 2 billion dollars, Mass General Brigham’s research programme is one of the largest in the U.S. and funds more than 2,700 clinical trials. Mass General Brigham is also one of the country’s leading biomedical research organisations, with several Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals.
For more information about Mass General Brigham, visit massgeneralbrigham.org/international
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