The evolution of information technology that led to the emergence of innovative solutions results in the convergence of the digital world and healthcare.
Modern technologies for healthcare are not only the latest medical equipment but also industry-specific software that automates all processes. The latest technologies allow you to carry out the most complex operations, examinations, speed up the processing of laboratory tests, consult and examine patients at a distance, and much more.
Technology-enable care, also known as TEC, can offer cost-effective IT products in the era when the population is rapidly ageing, the treatment is becoming more expensive. To thrive, healthcare and social care systems should widely adopt innovation.
With the continually increasing use of mobile phones, people began to use various apps that help them monitor and support their health while timely reacting to emerging issues. Another amazing advancement is the Internet of Things (IoT), which introduced people the ability to wear sensing devices to track their heart rate, calculate steps, monitor sleep. More intelligent IoT sensors are used for clinical trials. For example, some can measure cancer-related fatigue.
Undoubtedly, modern software has the power to enhance access to healthcare, make people more motivated to take care of their health, and improve patient outcomes significantly.
How Technology Impacts the Quality of Healthcare Services
E-health, m-health, telemedicine, digital health – there are so many names for technology-enable care. All of these service lines are designed to help industry leaders, providers, and patients meet the challenges and pressing needs for better diagnostics, treatment, and disease prevention.
The demand for quality care is continually increasing globally. As a result, many countries are facing funding gaps and lack of budgeting for health and social care services. Thus, among the key industry challenges, there are the following:
- increasing costs for appropriate treatment;
- the rising complexity of care delivery to the ageing population;
- growing demand for the better quality of the healthcare services;
- reduced accessibility to hospital care.
To solve these problems, healthcare leaders and providers have started using the advancements of technology. Mobile phones and other digital capabilities provide possibilities to decrease costs, enhance services, and shift to outcome-based care. Let’s see what other technology solutions can come in handy to meet both patient and doctor expectations.
IoT-powered Wearables
Bio-sensing wearables have become very popular as they empower people with tools to measure blood pressure, steps, and sleep quality. The following factors affected the popularity of these devices:
- wearables work accurately only if connected with the right software;
- there is a strong demand for devices that measure health indicators without disrupting normal life;
- the market of wearables technology is rapidly growing since there are offshore software outsourcing companies developing software and middleware for IoT.
The market of wearables is full of new inventions like contact lenses monitoring glucose, smart pills that track medication intaking, hearing aids to improve hearing.
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
AI and robotics succeeded in doing what humans can do but with lower expenditures and more accurate results.
AI-fueled software ensures the following things in healthcare:
- supporting people and doctors in monitoring health status;
- early detection of diseases like cancer;
- getting an accurate diagnosis;
- making the right decisions based on real-time data;
- managing long-term treatment programs;
- providing end of life care;
- streamlining drug discovery and medical research;
- seamless training.
As you can see, artificial intelligence defines the future of healthcare. Being appropriately implemented, it can bring a lot of value to both patients and physicians while healthcare providers could save costs and provide better services.
Extended Reality
If you think that virtual and augmented reality is all about entertainment, you are wrong. The healthcare industry has already introduced extended reality as a powerful tool and a real game-changer. AR and VR market for healthcare is expected to reach 5.1 bn. dollars by 2025, according to Forbes.
Extended reality solutions are used not only for surgery simulation and training but also for providing relevant treatment and excellent patient care. For example, VR helps people with visual impairment, cancer, autism, and depression. In medical training, mixed reality helps both patients and medical staff better understand treatment conditions and create workable treatment plans.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Healthcare is a high-load industry, in which organizations process and manage lots of papers. However, in the era of digitalization, it is no longer needed to manage documents manually. Here are the main benefits RPA provides for healthcare:
- Automate scheduling for patients
- Improve account settlement processes
- Enhance claims management for insurance
- Generate analytics for better diagnostics and treatment
- Empower health care systems
The potential of RPA is really limitless. That’s one of the most trending technologies that is intended to streamline and automate almost every operational process in healthcare.
What Do Patients and Healthcare Providers Expect of IT Solutions?
According to Deloitte, people, when asked about the most important service they need from a health app, answered the following:
- Understandable information on symptoms – 23%
- Easier communication with doctors and nurses – 17%
- Access to electronic health records online – 16%
- Monitoring of medical symptoms – 14%
- Track activities needed to improve health – 13%
- Provide recommendations on how to live a healthier life – 7%
- Communicate with other people – 6%
- Provide the ability to rate local healthcare services – 3%
Many patients expect of IT solutions to provide remote monitoring, as well. Traditionally, this technology allows people to perform tests and send the results to the hospital facility without the need to visit doctors. And that’s probably one of the main advantages innovative technology provides.
Final Words
We are living in an age when digital healthcare is no longer the future. Various technologies help doctors make the right decisions, provide that the patient gets access to high-quality diagnostics and treatment while living a full life even with serious diseases.
In general, modern technologies and scientific discoveries stimulate the development of medicine and increase the level of public services.