Part II: Pensioners, 'Health students' and Children

For decades the reactive health care system has been founded, loved and sustained through the primary care - secondary care hospital system, together with its complex range of referral systems and processes.

Now demographic trends and economic pressures have seen the emergence and ongoing development of the virtual hospital. Call centers and teams that deliver nursing and medical care in the home to prevent admission and facilitating early discharge are still basically reactive.

What is needed is a cognitive hospital.

A form of hospital that acknowledges the health care system but can finally progress the preventive agenda on an individual, educational basis, fostering self-efficacy, health literacy and if necessary self-care.