Over the past decade, healthcare has changed radically with a host of new technologies and tools transforming the sector and the way patients receive treatments and diagnoses. Driven by mobile technology and artificial intelligence, as well as COVID-19, digital health is growing quickly. According to Healthcare IT News, The European Commission awarded €55.2 million to digital health projects, to help combat the pandemic. Consumers are also accelerating the pace of change in the industry. Today’s consumers expect everything to be on-demand and streamlined, which is driving innovation in digital healthcare products and tools. Digital health is certainly here to stay – but what impact has technology had on the industry and how is it re-shaping the future?
Connected healthcare
As a result of technology, healthcare has become increasingly connected, to ensure patients and professionals have access to all the information they need. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced digital health onto the global stage, with various healthcare institutions seeking to leverage technology to not only combat the crisis but to create a more interconnected healthcare system. For example, telemedicine startup Viveo Health raised €2 million to support patients with medical help through video, as a form of social distancing. The Viveo Health platform was built for remote consultations, giving patients optimal access to care providers from any location. This shift toward connected healthcare and telemedicine will make a huge difference for rural areas and anyone experiencing chronic diseases, as patients can get access to preventative treatment far more quickly.
Improved patient care
The rise of mobile health solutions has given patients more control over their healthcare. Mobile app development has played a huge role for healthcare providers to stay ahead of their competitors and improve patient care. In this digital age, patients are turning to their smartphones to check in on their health more than ever before. There is a range of apps on the market that help patients with chronic diseases, changing their lives for the better. For example, medical company Doctor Care Anywhere has an app that offers video and phone appointments, as well as 24/7 access to medical records. UK-based start-up Health Hero is another company that provides online consultation. Offering patients a virtual holistic view of their health, the company has become one of the largest telemedicine start-ups in Europe. As a result of innovations in digital health, there’s much better equipment and treatments available, and the scope of technology has paved the way for more treatment options.
The use of data
Today, the healthcare sector generates an enormous amount of data. With the rise of artificial intelligence and big data, digital health is becoming much more individualised and driven by science. Using data, healthcare institutions have the potential to predict and prevent diseases before patients get ill, as well as improve the treatment process, all the while saving costs. This year, US healthcare services company Cardinal Health launched a logistics management tool, known as TotalVue, which was designed to identify opportunities for driving cost savings. The platform provides insights into how making the right shipping decisions can reduce costs, and maximise efficiency across the health system. Data and new technologies are changing the way companies manage the health system – and with the help of AI and advanced algorithms, healthcare providers will certainly become data-driven organisations. Digital health innovations are re-shaping the patient experience and how healthcare is accessed, and there’s no doubt that the use of data will continue to play an instrumental role.
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