Innovation and technology are disrupting the traditional ethos of almost all industries. Healthcare is an industry with emergencies and criticalities, has readily adopted technological advances. Cloud-based storage systems and patient tracking devices have altered the method through which the healthcare industry used to operate.

Factors contributing to the growth of the healthcare sector

The healthcare IT solutions largely refer to electronic medical records, wearable medical devices, e-prescriptions, and remote patient monitoring. Such healthcare upgradations have positively impacted on the growth of the healthcare industry. Analyzing the potential of the market along with the positive impact it can have on the patients, certain favorable Government regulations and considerable funding from corporate venture capitalists fueled the market. However, the process is not free from challenges. Due to the emergence of patient data in bulk, cybersecurity has become the need of the hour. This also indicates the installation cost of the security protocol.

According to industry experts, the digital healthcare technology market will reach USD 156.9 billion USD by 2025 due to the implementation of technologies such as Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Radiology Information System (RIS). Now, why do you think such technologies got the worldwide acceptance, it is because it reduced the time generally invested in medical record documentation. Hence the diagnostic process became smooth. Wearables and certain healthcare apps can monitor pulse rate, oxygen in the blood, blood glucose, sleep patterns, etc. in patients. This facilitates medical practitioners and caregivers to diagnose and treat patients better. AliveCor heart monitoring device is an example of the digital healthcare technology that can help patients monitor their cardiac health through the mobile-based electrocardiogram. This device proved useful for many patients.

US, Japan, and the European market embraced the innovative technologies owing to the outbreak of chronic ailments and the growing geriatric population. With Government initiatives, electronic health cards were created to access the medical records of patients. Telehealth and telemedicine further propelled the advancement of digital health solutions in the country. Such a new digital healthcare model will help to overcome the prevalent challenges.

Approach of the healthcare industry

It won’t be incorrect to state that the healthcare industry gained a lot from both the first and second wave of IT adoption. Now, this industry is still dealing with the regulations and privacy concerns associated with the fully integrated healthcare IT system. However, it cannot be denied that patients now have become more comfortable in using digital networks to access and share complex and sensitive information. Again, the healthcare industry is also focusing on enhancing the patient’s experience so that trust can be established between the patients and the medical team.

Common myths about digital healthcare

• Patients feel unrelated and skeptical to use digital services for healthcare.
• Elderly patients do not prefer digital services.
• Rising demand for mobile healthcare to manage chronic conditions.
• Patients expect continuous innovation and new features.
• Need an all-inclusive platform of services to gain trust.

The step towards building a digital healthcare system

Primarily it is essential to understand the need of the patients. Basis the requirement then have to analyze what the other healthcare institutions are already offering. With elaborate information, the organization can utilize existing technological capabilities. Since patients are aware these days and prefer to actively participate in their health care hence transparency and access to information is the basic right of patients from the digitized healthcare system. However, it must be admitted that the lack of medical practitioners that previously hampered the basic healthcare facility can now be resolved with the digital healthcare system.

- Kathakali Basu
Content Writer
Infoholic Research