Game Changing Technological Innovations For Healthcare Industry

By Matt Wilson, Aegis HealthTech

Almost everything in this world has now become digital. Consumers look for options that save their time and energy but give them best results. They want access to all kind of services whenever and wherever they want. Healthcare is not at all an exception in this. That is why understanding and implementation of right technology at right time have now become a necessity for every healthcare organization. Not only this, a healthcare organization should also be open to adopt game-changing technological innovations to move towards improved healthcare outcomes and powerful growth.

Technological Solutions for an Improved Healthcare

Digitalization & Retailization: Patients of digital world have become digital for their health too. They have adopted digital technologies not only to stay connected with the healthcare providers but also to get complete information about their health status. They are also adopting the concept of Retailization in healthcare. Retailization mean visiting retail clinic for basic healthcare needs. Some of the tools of Retailization are:

• Cloud based electronic health records or electronic medical records: This cloud based data storing tool helps the retail clinicians as well as doctors at the specialty hospital to access most recent and accurate patient information and keep a track of the patient condition.
   
• E-visits: Although phone calls and e-mails were used for interaction between patient and the doctor since long, e-visits have been introduced recently. It is a new medium of connection between the patient and doctor in which both can see and interact with each other via video call. This enables patients who cannot visit clinic to get better and more satisfactory treatment.
   
• Mhealth or mobile health: Mobile phones have become an integral part of everybody’s life. This mobile can also be used to give the right information to the patients through various mobile applications. These apps can also track patient symptoms, remind medicines to be taken and share progress.
   
• E-health insurance: E-health insurance plans not only give information about various plans but also enable the consumer to opt for a suitable insurance plan.

Robust data management and analytical tools: Appropriate management and analysis of patient data is very important for successful Population Health Management. This will help the organizations in capturing the right information and using it meaningfully. Some of the data management and analytical tools are:

• Electronic Health Records (EHRs): This is an electronic form that contains all the information about the patient and its course of treatment. This data can be used for analysis of the risk of patient itself or the whole population so as to deliver improved healthcare at reduced cost.
   
• Remote monitoring: In less accessible areas, remote monitoring by healthcare providers can reduce mortality rates and save costs. This gives an opportunity to the healthcare providers to monitor and track patients and provide best possible treatment to them remotely.
   
• Social media: Social media can be great platform to share, discuss or correct the information through several tools like chat, discussion, forum, pages etc.

Legacy Modification: This refers to the integration of any or all of the following new-age technology and tools into the existing systems and processes in order to improve efficiency, effectiveness and reduce maintenance cost:

• Cloud: Cloud computing offers a secure and dynamic solution to the healthcare industry that reduces the time taken for delivery of IT services. Any of the hybrid, private or public cloud can be chosen depending upon the requirement of the organization.
   
• Automation: Elimination of redundant manual tasks and work, and introduction of automated solutions will help the healthcare provider to work smarter and become more effective.
   
• Outsourcing: The modification challenge can be outsourced to get support from the experts for adoption of new technologies. This will prove to be cost-effective and takes out a lot of the pressure from the organization.

Benefits of Integration of technological solutions in Healthcare industry:

The more and better integration of technology into patient portal software industry can improve healthcare to a greater extent.

• No major upfront capital investment required
• Quick patient visits and reduced waiting lines
• Avoid additional delays in the delivery of healthcare
• Availability of latest patient information at all levels of patient care
• Access of patient information to all the participating labs, hospitals and clinics
• Prevents hospital readmission
• Increased revenue while decreasing cost
• Operational improvement