If you haven’t heard it before, there is a ton of buzz about digital health and its impact on technology, the medical sector, and even the way we live our day-to-day lives.
While many are focusing on what digital health can do for the future, I am often surprised by how quickly the developments in digital health are happening today. An interesting fact is that the digital health industry will reach nearly $650 billion by 2026.
The days of taking a one-size-fits-all approach to implement digital health strategies are disappearing as organizations take an adaptive approach to developing a customized solution that will have real value to their organizations.
What will the digital health industry look like in the near future? How will the world’s population be affected by these changes? I will attempt to answer these questions by exploring several key areas of digital health to watch in 2022 and beyond.
Technology will open access toward healthcare to everyone
The rapid pace of technological innovation has created a lot of anxiety about jobs. While there’s no doubt that new technologies will eliminate some positions, they are also creating new opportunities to do what we already do, but more efficiently.
Many economists say that technology increases productivity and improves consumer welfare by lowering prices and raising quality. The proliferation of smartphones and the internet is perhaps one of today’s most compelling examples.
They have opened access to information and knowledge to billions who previously lacked it.
The benefits are clear—and as medical devices get cheaper and smarter, they will start offering consumers more control over their health care. That’s why the World Health Organisation has compiled the “Global strategy on digital health 2020-2025.”
Digital health trends you need to pay attention to
1. Digital health will affect every industry
In 2022, digital health technology will become more common in almost every aspect of society. Digital health tools will impact organizations and individuals from four different perspectives:
- healthcare providers
- employees
- manufacturers and suppliers
and
- everyone else!!
Digital health is paving the way for a revolution that’s already begun within each individual. Your body can be connected wirelessly to your smartphone via Fitbit or Apple Watch technology. The future is now, and there are many exciting things on the horizon for digital health!
2. Digital health will become ubiquitous
It’s not enough to just visit your doctor with an issue anymore — you want to be able to reach out to them at all times, and that might mean starting a video chat when you are away from home or accessing your health records on your mobile device.
We will have 24/7 access through multiple mediums, including our phones, tablets, computers, wearables and even appliances like smart refrigerators. This will make our world a healthier place by educating us about what we put into our bodies as well as giving us feedback on how we can improve our health.
3. Healthcare systems will move towards connected care
Connected care refers to healthcare systems that use technology and data to monitor, communicate, and coordinate patient care between physicians, hospitals, other providers, and patients.
Such systems are widely expected to lower costs, enhance patient experience with less hassle from claim forms or filling out paperwork at each new doctor’s office visit.
They will also likely improve preventative health by encouraging patients to schedule annual checkups and stick with medication regimens.
4. More focus on upskilling healthcare workers
Uptake of AI and machine learning technologies in healthcare is underway, but many hospitals are also increasingly focusing on upskilling their workforce to integrate these new technologies as they arrive.
As providers begin to implement more sophisticated AI technology, it will be critical to ensure that everyone has access to training and skill-building opportunities.
With AI systems now able to handle basic tasks once left for doctors or other healthcare specialists, there’s an increasing demand for workers trained on how best to integrate those tools into care plans.
It’s not enough for a hospital just to invest in new technologies if they aren’t equipped with an adequately skilled workforce that can take advantage of them.
5. The more mature “telehealth 2.0.”
With employers and insurance companies demanding more accountability from healthcare providers, telehealth’s next iteration is increasingly focused on helping patients connect with specialists.
With today’s technology, it’s possible to have a video visit with your cardiologist, dermatologist or pulmonologist — no travel required.
As entrepreneurs and large businesses alike start to see how telehealth can make lives easier for their employees and customers, these services will improve even further.
Telehealth is becoming less about visiting urgent care centres for non-emergency visits and more about connecting people with primary care physicians or specialists at a moment’s notice — all from a mobile device.
Sources:
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/344249/9789240020924-eng.pdf
https://www.statista.com/topics/2409/digital-health/#dossierKeyfigures
https://www.oecd.org/health/health-systems/Empowering-Health-Workforce-Digital-Revolution.pdf
