The twenties of the 21st century are marked by digital transformation. Digital technologies are being actively introduced into all spheres of life and are becoming a mandatory component of business plans. There are numerous examples of digital transformation. Healthcare is not left behind in these terms.
Key points
What is Digital Transformation in the Healthcare Industry?
Digital transformation in healthcare is a high-impact strategy aimed at customer-centricity and culture change towards the use of high technology. The implementation of modern information technology in various healthcare industry processes is called digitalization of healthcare.
Modern healthcare’s development vectors aim to increase customer satisfaction, improve quality, and decrease costs against population growth and increased life expectancy.
Deloitte’s study shows that 92% of medical institutions achieve efficiency gains thanks to digital transformation. The introduction of advanced technologies and digital solutions helps to optimize work processes, improve healthcare infrastructure, empower healthcare providers, and increase the availability of on-demand medical care.
Here are 5 benefits of digital transformation in healthcare:
- Patient interaction is improved
- Secure databases are created
- Increased accuracy
- Data management is simplified
- Productivity is improved
Examples of the digitalization of healthcare include the following advances:
- Electronic medical records
- Cloud security systems
- Big Data
- Health and mental wellness applications
- Internet of Things-based medical devices
- Mobile health monitoring devices
- Telemedicine tools
If your healthcare institution is interested in digital transformation, our SoloWay Tech team can help. We are a reliable IT partner with a renowned reputation and numerous case studies in the healthcare domain. Feel free to contact us today.
How does digitalization change healthcare?
Many healthcare institutions have begun using virtual care technologies for routine outpatient appointments, thanks to social distancing measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address current challenges, healthcare providers increasingly turn to 5G telecommunications, cloud computing, interoperable data and analytics, and artificial intelligence.
Modern technology is enabling digital models of care. Healthcare providers can move copies of databases to cloud storage for backup recovery in the event of a disaster. Routine processes such as testing electronic medical records systems can be automated.
Global medicine is making steady steps towards digitalization. Some of the most successful recent achievements include:
- Transition from inpatient visits to remote digital management. An integrated platform that combines a digital control room and proactive artificial intelligence capabilities will be created. It will optimize the flow of patient data and improve the efficiency of treating staff and resources, allowing care to be delivered across physical boundaries.
- Moving contact centers to the cloud. Digitalization improves the customer interaction process and makes it easier to resolve various issues. The healthcare provider gets a secure multi-channel contact center platform with conversational artificial intelligence and automation, as well as an integrated ecosystem to enhance the customer experience.
- Building information partnership systems. As a rule, no single standalone information system in healthcare has a complete set of digital transformation tools. Forming intra- and cross-sector partnerships helps provide access to information, data, capabilities, and expertise that an individual organization may lack. The concept of such partnerships can save resources and improve access to clinical innovations for population health.
- Well-being services. These programs and applications help form the right lifestyle, monitor mental health, and keep fit.
- Sensors and wearable devices. Digital solutions allow doctors to provide remote assistance to users. For example, it is possible to track glucose levels and heart rate. Doctors receive information about the state of health in real-time, which allows for a more accurate diagnosis and an individualized treatment program for each patient. Some sensors, such as those used to treat chronic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, utilize computer vision technology to track whether the patient is performing exercises correctly.
- Neural network. It allows for increased accuracy in finding and recognizing pathologies on X-ray and MRI/CT images.
- Digital twins. Experts rely on this technology primarily in the treatment of oncologic diseases. The digital model allows for the most accurate selection of drug therapy, including individual therapy, depending on the peculiarities of a particular patient’s organism.
The hallmark of the medical industry is conservatism. This is due to the highest level of responsibility for people’s lives. The implementation of any innovations here requires long periods. In addition to scientific and financial aspects, it is necessary to consider the legal side, involvement, and level of competence of employees. Therefore, staff training has been and remains one of the key elements of digital transformation in healthcare.
What is going on with telemedicine in terms of healthcare digital transformation?
Great expectations are associated with the development of telemedicine. The global telemedicine market size was valued at $60.8 billion in 2022. It is expected to reach $225 billion by 2030, growing with a CAGR of 17.16% during the forecast period 2022 to 2030. In recent years, there has been a steady growth in remote consultations, dietetics, and psychology.
Telemedicine is a set of organizational, financial, and technological measures that ensure the operation of a remote consulting and diagnostic medical services system. With its help, a patient or a doctor who directly conducts an examination or treatment of the patient receives remote consultation from another specialist using modern information and communication technologies.
Telemedicine is not a separate type of medical activity. In this case, technologies are used as a technological component in providing services that constitute medical activity.
Telemedicine technologies may be used for:
- Primary medical and sanitary care
- Specialized, including high-tech medical care
- Emergency medical care
- Palliative medical care
Telemedicine is developing in two main forms of interaction:
- “Doctor-doctor”. It is used to organize and provide medical care through the remote interaction of medical professionals. A great example is when you need the opinion of a specialist who is not available in a particular medical organization.
- “Doctor-patient”. It is used for the organization and provision of medical care in case of remote interaction of a medical worker with a patient and (or) his/her legal representative. This interaction can include prevention, collection, and analysis of patient complaints and anamnesis data, evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment and diagnostic measures, medical monitoring of the state of health, and decision-making on the need for a face-to-face doctor’s appointment.
Medical care with the use of telemedicine technologies can be provided on an inpatient, outpatient, and out-of-hospital basis. The actual location of the patient determines the conditions of care.
Conclusion
The healthcare industry regularly faces various challenges related to optimizing typical processes. Representatives of the healthcare system have noted positive changes in these areas as a result of the introduction of advanced technologies. Examples of digitalization include telemedical consultations, online patient registration, automation of record-keeping systems, electronic document management, and the Internet of Medical Things. The pandemic has greatly accelerated digital transformation.
If you want to digitally transform your healthcare institution, research our case studies. After the investigation, you will be sure our SoloWay Tech team is your best choice. You can contact us 24/7.
