The digital transformation of health

Digital healthcare democratises access to medical services, and as it continues to change the industry, more patients will benefit from a range of services that were previously out of reach.

The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed serious structural problems in health systems; in Latin America and the Caribbean, deficiencies were detected in basic dimensions such as quality, results, costs and equity. Today, countries must manage the complexity of health systems in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis.

Given this scenario, a recent report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) reveals that digital transformation in health (DHT) offers a unique opportunity to harness the transformative power of technology to address fundamental flaws and evolve health systems in the region.

TDS includes practices related to the Internet, digital technologies and their correlation with new therapies and best practices to improve health management procedures. TDS facilitates finding innovative solutions that improve the delivery of health services to help improve patient well-being and reduce the cost of services.

Luis E. Fernández, an entrepreneur who developed a platform that seeks to revolutionize hospital asset management through innovative technologies, asserts that "Digital transformation in the health sector is a very challenging market, but not impossible." That is why he has focused on offering solutions that not only simplify the maintenance of medical equipment, but also drive digital transformation in the health sector.

Consider, for example, how searching for information on the Internet or using digital health applications (perhaps via mobile phone) will enable the patient to participate in decision-making regarding his or her health care.

A clear sign that the healthcare sector is recognising the revolutionary potential of digital transformation solutions is that the global digital healthcare market is expected to be worth $504.4 billion next year, according to a report by a renowned global market research firm. There are also more than 5.3 billion internet users worldwide who will eventually need medical services at some point. And yet, as Fernandez asserts, "There is a lot of ignorance and lack of education about the digital issue in general in the healthcare sector.”

Internet-based interconnection is increasingly within reach; digital transformation services in healthcare, such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data, promise great positive changes. Let’s look at some examples of how technology will accelerate the digital transformation of healthcare in the near future.

The most obvious use of AI in healthcare is automating registration tasks and eliminating human error, but it is also starting to play a significant role in predictive diagnostics and creating personalized treatment plans. As for the Internet of Things (IoT), wearables that collect biometric data will allow accurate patient profiles to be generated in real time, and hospitals will increasingly have IoT-connected devices, making operations much more efficient.

Robots will undoubtedly contribute more to performing more complex and precise surgeries, even with the surgeon remote, not to mention how 3D printing has created personalized prosthetics and implants. There is also big data (helping to create patient profiles and offer treatment options), cloud computing (remote healthcare services) and blockchain ( verified electronic medical records). As innovation continues, exciting new possibilities for digital transformation of healthcare continue to emerge.

The scope of telehealth and telemedicine is vast and has a wide range of applications. Most excitingly, it is on the verge of completely reshaping doctor-patient interactions and will enable patients in remote areas to virtually access services they would otherwise not have been able to access. Similarly, digital record-keeping platforms such as EHRs and HIEs have made it easier for healthcare professionals to find the data they need to design effective and optimal treatments, and patients can also search for relevant information whenever they need it.

Digital healthcare democratises access to medical services, and as it continues to change the industry, more patients will benefit from a range of services that were previously out of reach. As new trends in digital healthcare emerge, the industry must be ready to respond. The ability to adapt to change and embrace emerging technology will become one of the hallmarks of successful digital healthcare providers in the years to come.

Digital healthcare solutions will continue to flourish in the coming years; their benefits and increased efficiency are too obvious to ignore. As the healthcare industry embraces DST, the following trends will gain momentum. That’s why every healthcare professional must stay abreast of the ongoing digital transformation.