UAE: The World Governments Summit and Roland Berger have unveiled a new report titled “Centering Social Wellbeing in Health Systems: Sociocultural, Behavioral, and Technological Dimensions of Care.” This paper presents a framework to help governments rethink how health systems are designed and delivered to place the needs of beneficiaries at the heart of care delivery at a time when rising chronic disease burdens and digital innovation are reshaping healthcare landscapes worldwide. 

The report points out that health systems are at a pivotal moment of transformation. Legacy models that focus narrowly on clinical interventions are increasingly disconnected from how health is created, sustained and experienced in everyday life. As health outcomes are determined beyond hospital walls, patients must participate in shaping how care is planned and delivered to ensure it is responsive to their needs and preferences.

At the core of the report is an integrated framework built around three interrelated dimensions of care:

The sociocultural dimension emphasizes that there is a social reality to healthcare beyond interactions between doctors and patients. Healthcare is deeply influenced by culture, values, and social norms of communities. What people perceive as quality care is defined by the cultural context in which care is delivered, and acknowledging community expectations can strengthen engagement and outcomes.

The behavioral dimension highlights that most health outcomes are determined outside clinical settings, shaped by environments, the routines people follow each day and the circumstances that influence their choices. Enabling healthier behaviors requires policies that make healthy choices easier, including supportive environments combined with smart incentives and cross-sector collaborations that weave health into everyday life.

The technological dimension examines how digital and AI-enabled tools can expand access and improve quality. The future of healthcare depends on striking a deliberate balance between innovation and compassion, ensuring that technology acts as a bridge rather than a barrier to more patient-centered approaches. Innovation should serve to preserve human connection and address digital divides rather than exacerbate disparities. 

Sara Barada, Partner at Roland Berger Middle East, said: “Health systems of the future must be centered around societal wellbeing by embedding sociocultural understanding, creating conducive environments for individuals to choose healthy behaviors, and humanizing technology to advance equitable access. By centering social wellbeing, governments can build systems that people trust, engage with, and genuinely benefit all.”

Drawing on global evidence and insights from a Roland Berger survey of more than 5,000 respondents across 25 countries, the paper reinforces that populations prefer health systems that take into account cultural preferences, emphasize prevention and maintain meaningful human contact with providers.

In closing, the report offers high-level policy recommendations for governments aspiring to transform health systems toward societal wellbeing. These recommendations call for integrating evidence-based priority setting with structured community input, designing environments and incentive structures that support healthy behaviors outside clinical care, and building digital health strategies that enhance equitable access and preserve the core human elements of care.