Healthcare faces an enormous challenge

The number of elderly people is increasing in both relative and absolute terms
The number of patients with multiple illnesses is increasing
The number of stroke patients is increasing
The cost of healthcare is increasing

and

High cost awareness among all stakeholders
Focus on preventative care and clinical pathways
Fewer people available to provide care to increasingly more people in need of it
Focus on quality of care, patient safety and integrity
Heart conditions and strokes – increasingly common causes of death
An increasing need to provide care across borders – we move and travel more
Increased need for integration and cooperation between different stakeholders

In a future scenario we may see the population being be affected by the same types of illnesses as today, but that the number of patients will increase as the population increases. Average age climbs and life expectancy rises. The demographic structure means that fewer people must bear the cost of care for ever more patients, a situation which presents the healthcare systems around the world with a massive resource problem.