Wellness is the way forward for the GCC

The delivery of healthcare is undergoing significant changes owing to medical and technological advances. These trends are particularly promising for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which are grappling with rising healthcare costs and an epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. Healthcare policymakers in the GCC who understand these changes, and alter their organizations and funding models accordingly, will be able to provide better quality of care and improved health outcomes. The most significant change is the shift of focus, from curative care to preventative care, that is, from treating sickness to promoting ‘wellness.’ Historically, the healthcare system dealt with individual cases of illness. It was assumed that there was little need to see patients unless they were ill. Today however, there is a growing emphasis on the continual management of a person’s health. There are two major reasons for this change. First, scientific