COVID-19 has irrevocably changed the landscape of the healthcare industry. The rapid digitalization of this industry has demonstrated that we as consumers have quickly adapted trending healthcare technologies.
Also Read: Getinge Launches State-of-the-Art Experience Center in New Jersey
The resilience of healthcare businesses was tested in this period and unfortunately only the highly digitized ones passed the test. The advent of 2022 brings us together to analyze and discern what the future holds.
The top digitalization trends in the healthcare sector that are expected to propel the industry in 2022 are as follows:
Telehealth/Remote Care
Although Telehealth has become a norm during COVID-19 pandemic,the concept is nascent yet. Moreover, this service needs to be Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant for optimal patient care.
Therefore, integration of WebRTC, and associated technologies are taking the lead as businesses venture into transforming healthcare infrastructure into the digital space. McKinsey projects $250 million healthcare expenditure in the forthcoming years. It seems, Telehealth is here to stay.
Internet of Things (IoT) and Wearables
IoT is rapidly facilitating the growth and development of wearable technology. Patient monitoring using these allows data to be sent through strategic touchpoints, to the providers and is establishing the era of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT).
IoMT now enables better healthcare in remote regions, patients with mobility issues, and diseases requiring vital-centric monitoring.
Extended Reality
Augmented and Virtual Reality is another novelty in the healthcare industry. The technology is empowering surgical strategy and training across several specialities. This has enabled remote collaboration of surgeons and doctors to ensure best patient care in hospitals.
Also, there is a high potential of using AR/VR for psychological therapy. The extended reality can assist in traumas, phobias, opioid addiction, phantom limb pain, or even rehabilitation. The untapped potential of this technology in healthcare can induce revolutionary changes in the near future.
Artificial Intelligence
The technology is enabling faster diagnostics, high speed test result analysis, effective pharmaceutical advice, and increases efficiency. Apart from this, AI conserves resources in businesses better utilized elsewhere.
For instance, the DeepMind project at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust utilized AI in 3D scans analysis and successfully diagnosed several eye diseases. Such strategies enable cost and time efficiency in organizations.
Patient Management Systems
The dawn of digitalization has brought about several patient management systems. These systems allow patient data collection and remote monitoring without the hassle of paperwork hindering faster processing. Also, such systems have integrated chat bots that facilitate seamless routing of patients and doctors.
Healthcare accessibility is now a click away.
The integration of such platforms with Big Data analysis is also driving research and enabling patient symptom pattern recognition. Such research is successfully preventing several diseases at the initial stages today.
Finally..
There are several more technology trends digitalizing the healthcare sphere and many more yet to be listed.
So, Save People. Go Digital.