Over the past two decades, health organisations have already been using digital technologies. Then, Covid-19 has rapidly changed direction, including in many areas of healthcare.
Many digital technologies, including social media, mobile apps, artificial intelligence, and big data, have been built to improve the effectiveness and affordability of public health services.
Thus, the strategic frameworks by health organisations to use the benefits of digital technologies to improve public health service as a reminder of digital transformation in healthcare is growing significantly.
Due to digital transformation in healthcare growing significantly, what does digitalisation in healthcare mean?
Digitalisation in Healthcare
One article in Harvard Business Review showed that Digital transformation is defined as the use of digital technologies to develop or modify business processes, culture, and customer experiences.
Further, digital transformation in healthcare can mean many different things. The most common benefit includes the increase in efficiency and accuracy that can be brought about by using digital tools to keep track of patient data, manage hospital beds, and more.
In addition, patients and professionals may also gain new insights into how healthcare is performed through the use of digital tools. For example, they can learn about effective or ineffective treatments based on readings from medical equipment or monitors.
Digital transformation in healthcare can also lead to an increase in business efficiency as companies become better at tracking customer feedback, managing stock items and inventory and more. In turn, this can help organisations reduce costs while providing better customer service.
Finally, digital tools can also provide safety and security for patients and professionals alike by allowing them to access information at any time from anywhere in the world.
There is one study from Deloitte showing how the outcomes from digital transformation benefit expected.
How is technology transforming the Healthcare industry?
The transformation of this industry is changing the way we receive and use healthcare. As technology continues to develop, it impacts the ways in which we can access healthcare.
We now can experience the benefits of screening tests and treatments that can be administered remotely. In addition, we can receive medical treatment at home, or discuss with professionals through our devices.
This new form of healthcare is often much better than traditional methods because it doesn’t need hospitalisation or long-term stays.
The aims of digital transformation in healthcare
According to the National Library of Medicine, the aims of digital health-related products and services are below:
- To improve the quality of care and service outcomes
- To improve population health
- To improve the experience of the patient
- To improve the experience of medical professionals and other non-medical providers
- Dealing with health disparities
What is an example of digital health
According to Forbes, some experts showed how technology transformed the healthcare industry. For brevity's sake, let's take five examples, here are the details:
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI can be applied in many different ways, one of which is to help adapt medications to each person's unique biology, giving patients with conditions for which it can take years of trial and error to find the best treatment chance.
Further, improvements in voice-to-text and AI language models have transformed medical dictation software, saving doctors' time on data entry.
2. Digital Therapeutics
Digital Therapeutics have transformed the industry by giving patients greater autonomy and control, especially in the field of mental healthcare, where patient-centred approaches are essential for delivering individualised, research-based care with the use of artificial intelligence.
3. Wearable devices
The integration of physical and mental health has also grown significantly, for example, in the use of the Apple Watch. People are much more motivated to track their health on a daily basis than to rely on a yearly check.
4. Connected Devices
The utilisation of connected devices to improve patient care has been the biggest advance. Devices have made it possible for patients and caregivers to connect in any situation, from robots to telemedicine to mobile apps.
5. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
Virtual reality (VR) is used in many forms, from training aspiring surgeons to practising surgeries with experienced surgeons.
While users of Augmented Reality (AR) maintain their sense of reality and receive information as quickly as feasible. Due to these unique characteristics, on the part of both healthcare patients and professionals, AR is starting to take the lead in the future of healthcare.
6. 3-D Printing
3-D Printing has allowed the healthcare industry to expand and meet the needs of pandemic-driven demand rapidly. It continues to innovate the way it provides medical supplies and protective equipment.
7. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
The combination of medical tools and software connecting to networking-based health IT platforms is known as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). IoMT use cases include telemedicine to enhance patient-doctor contact, reducing the risk of exposure to contagious diseases and a variety of smart sensor technologies that can gather data at the user level.
8. Big Data
One article from the Journal of Big Data showed that hospital records, patient medical records, test findings, and internet-of-things-enabled equipment are just a few examples of the big data sources used in the healthcare sector. Big data relevant to public healthcare is also produced in huge quantities by the biomedical research industry.
Wrapping up
The impact of digital transformation will help make it easier for consumers to connect with their preferred provider, improve quality and reduce the cost of care. By implementing digital transformation in healthcare, patients and medical staff can experience efficiency, accuracy, and accountability. Further, digital transformation in healthcare can also improve the productivity and performance of medical staff.
In the future development of digital transformation in healthcare, VirtualSpirit can help you in improving your product and service in digital healthcare solutions. By implementing the most recent digital healthcare trends, we are trying to transform healthcare through technology. We believe that healthcare providers, such as nurses and doctors, should benefit from and be empowered by technology.
We use modern frameworks designed to meet the needs and objectives of each organisation. Are you ready to transform? Discuss with our experts now.
