How Healthcare Is Being Democratized
Technology during the pandemic has strengthened our connections, contributed to proper modern medicine, saved countless lives, and democratized healthcare in a way like never before. Healthcare in the U.S.A and other high-income countries in the world is always readily available. Nevertheless, access to an online doctor, medicine, and treatment in low and middle-income classes remains limited.
The pandemic created a storm of conditions that disrupted the healthcare system in lasting ways. It includes delayed elective and preventative care, clinician burnout, and financial instability. However, it also pushed health institutions to reimagine how they service clients using tech-enabled home care, mobile applications, and telehealth services.
Offering personalized care through telehealth has the potential to democratize healthcare. Moreover, it lowers the barrier to world-class healthcare. Artificial intelligence is also at the forefront of this change, recommending healthy lifestyles and medication, helping medical staff diagnose, virtually linking patients to physicians, and treating diseases.
Technology Has Made Healthcare Services Convenient
Reshaping the healthcare system allows for better healthcare at home. It prevents an unnecessary visit to the hospital and burdens the health system further as one can easily access an online doctor.
Moreover, reconfiguring the healthcare system to incorporate open innovations allows us to fully use the community’s intelligence, skills, and creativity. It helps solve complex healthcare issues, particularly during a pandemic.
Consequently, if we have another pandemic, America can better manage surges in our healthcare institutions and spread the infection without stressing the indispensable medical professionals.
Keep reading for some surprising information about the penetration of techno in American healthcare:
- About 81% of patients use smartphones to access medical applications and drug information.
- About 90% of physicians affirm that the latest healthcare technologies will significantly improve patients’ health.
- About 60% of medical professionals learn and study new medical research via digital gadgets.
Healthcare technology has allowed Americans to use telehealth as a convenient way to track and improve our health during these trying moments. But unfortunately, most patients feel that the healthcare sector is about profit generation and creating a bureaucratic environment.
This is where healthcare technology has offered them a way to adopt personalized care practices holistically. Keep reading to understand how technology has democratized the healthcare sector.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence has affected many sectors of the world economy significantly. Healthcare is not any different. Most healthcare executives have already used AI in their healthcare operations, with credible information showing last year’s plan to increase the budget.
Artificial Intelligence is forecasted to help diagnose eye disease, strokes, skin cancer, heart illness, and other ailments as technology becomes more common. As a result, healthcare professionals have made an incredible leap toward value-based healthcare due to the stealth implementation of Artificial Intelligence.
Combined with decreased re-admissions, healthcare technology boosts significantly low discharge rates. As a result, it successfully maintains patients in their homes and out of hospitals, helping diagnose rare ailments. Moreover, it helps support patients with chronic or epilepsy conditions to live normal lives by being monitored from their homes instead of lining up for many hours in the emergency rooms.
Mobile Technology
Telehealth, commonly called telemedicine, is the remote diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of patients. It’s made possible using digital technology and telecommunication like computers and mobile devices. Telemedicine effectively lowers the costs of delivering healthcare services, allowing healthcare professionals to check and treat patients without attending to them physically.
The democratization of technology in the healthcare sector has been made highly swift by smart devices. From remote diagnosis to an online appointment, smart technology has allowed businesses to uncouple traditional ways of delivering healthcare services.
If implemented effectively, adaptive and mobile technologies help elderly patients feel independent. It enables them to be in charge of their mental and physical health by virtually collaborating with an online doctor.
For instance, in-home sensors alert physicians when they’ve entered a dark room where they might slip and fall. Additionally, contact sensors alert physicians if a medical cabinet was accessed by a senior or a child without supervision.
Blockchain Technology
Studies indicate that America is predicted to spend about 20% of its gross domestic product on healthcare improvement after the pandemic.
As recordkeeping of patient data increases over time, ensuring data security and confidentiality is getting challenging. This is where blockchain technology helps eliminate the risk of cyber-attacks on healthcare data.
Moreover, studies indicated that between 2016 and 2019, about 176 million medical records and information were compromised due to online data breaches. Blockchain is used to conceal, transfer, protect and share critical data encrypted with secure codes.
Virtual Healthcare Assistance
Virtual healthcare helps patients and online doctors to connect remotely through mobile applications and video conferencing. Moreover, a large number of patients have become more comfortable using modern wearable technology to monitor any significant changes in their wellness and share that information with their physicians.
With tremendous achievements in healthcare, mobile applications and telehealth have been introduced. However, their ultimate success is highly dependent on technology. Hospitals should provide their patients with better-personalized experiences in a consumer-driven and modern healthcare environment.
Doctors can use psychographic segmentation to help define various values, feelings, and motivations. This drives patient conduct and assists healthcare institutions in identifying the best telehealth alternative and information transmission strategies that improve patient results. Moreover, it creates better confidence and allegiance for patients when coupled.
Ease of operation, convenience, and no need to travel to your nearest medical facility is the main reasons patients prefer virtual care. In addition, you can consult with an online doctor without leaving your cozy sofa. On the contrary, some patients are worried about losing their physician’s link or the quality of virtual health care.
Final Words
Technology is the driving force behind various developments in the healthcare sector. It has revolutionized the healthcare sector in a very distinctive way by shifting healthcare, how treatments are delivered, and changing the way medicines are manufactured.
The advances in Artificial Intelligence, virtual health assistance, Blockchain Technology, and mobile technology indicate just how beneficial technology has become in enabling the delivery of quality healthcare.
Universal health coverage can be realized if we continue to drive innovations in the healthcare sector. It’s incumbent on a health tech firm to meet clients’ demand for seamless, convenient, and individualized care. Thus, contact a health tech company to help link you with an online doctor for more personalized health care.
