History shows us how important technological revolutions have been for enhancing organisational processes and, as a consequence, the world economy. The digital era we live in is often described as the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0. To a large extent, the current changes are due to modern innovative technologies such as AI, IoT, smart sensors, cutting-edge software solutions or cognitive computing. As a vital part of our society, the healthcare sector is also disrupted by today’s high-tech tools and apps.
From my conversations with friends working in a bespoke software development company, I understand what a great impact health software can have both on businesses and end-customers. Being one of the most valuable resources and public goods, information has the power to drive progress forward. This is precisely what new technologies like medical apps, tracking devices, AI-driven tools try to implement to improve current processes and provide better healthcare for patients.
The healthcare IT industry has been on the rise for the last couple of years due to the high demand for consistent and accessible electronic health record (EHR) systems and population analytics across the world. Covid-19 also surged interest in digital healthcare delivery, and tendencies show that telemedicine will remain relevant even after the pandemic is over. Let’s look at exactly how technology revolutionises healthcare.
Technology Enhances Healthcare and Efficiency
Many advancements in healthcare are achieved through technological breakthroughs implemented in a medical context. On a very basic level, information technologies have eased access to high-quality information sources such as academical research, clinical trials, medical statistics and have thus spread a more comprehensive awareness around some of the most common diseases.
When it comes to efficiency, technology can play a critical role in saving costs and improving medical care for patients. For example, inconsistency in health tests or delayed information input in medical providers’ systems can potentially lead to increased costs because of repeated tests. On top of that, in patients with more severe conditions treatments delays can do a lot of harm.
Bespoke software solutions can integrate medical data and provide data consistency regarding patients’ health status. A reliable online platform, whether it is a website or a mobile app, is essential for the seamless communication between providers and between provider and patients.
Software Improves Disease Management
Another way technology helps revolutionise healthcare is through chronic disease management. There are chronic disease management systems (CDMS) that automatically retrieve data from patients’ EHR and visualise it on their mobile device. Such systems allow health data analysis with the help of notifications, and they help structure an overview of health status in accessible language so that it is understandable for patients.
Building such software gives healthcare business competitive advantages because patients expectations of what modern medical services should look like are rising continuously. It is vital for chronically ill patients to properly manage their disease (e.g. diabetes, autoimmune illness, cardiovascular diseases etc.). For this to happen, they need to keep track of any occurring changes in their health status, which will require immediate reaction and adjustments in the treatment.
Disease management software, be it so chronic conditions or other ongoing diseases can successfully be used by hospitals, clinics, and private healthcare practices to improve patient engagement by providing them with relevant and personalised medical information relevant to patients because of their health condition. Modern software solutions provide invaluable monitoring options that help healthcare professionals utilise technology effectively.
Technology Helps Improve Doctor-Patient Relationships
Contrary to some beliefs, technology doesn’t necessarily have a negative impact on the relationship between patients and their healthcare providers. On the opposite, during the pandemic of Covid-19, technology brought them together and acted as a remote collaborative bridge to help prevent further disease spreading.
Digital healthcare services offer greater flexibility for medical professionals, which can benefit their work-life balance and help prevent EHR-related burnout, which is widespread among doctors. Plus, digital services can save doctors valuable time that is otherwise wasted in time-consuming administrative tasks. Once most of the documentation is automated by the system, doctors can benefit from improved satisfaction and thus be more attentive during remote appointments with patients. Without the everyday distractions in an office setting, online appointments are more focused and enjoyable for both sides.
Although technology carries vast potential, it also involves certain risks that can do more harm than good if it is too complex to understand. For example, medical software designed for end-customers should be developed in a way that makes the app suitable for all ages, even elderly patients without much experience with new media. Nevertheless, the good news is that if used correctly, technology can connect doctors with patients in a meaningful way that boosts their relationship and empowers patients to be proactive about their own health.
AI Will Completely Disrupt the Healthcare Industry
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is bound to redesign how we think about personal health and how health systems organise their work. The capabilities of AI are expanding with each new software product, and it is expected to know that the best is yet to come. By all means, nowadays’ AI algorithms are so advanced that they can perform data mining in EHR, help create in-demand personalised healthcare services such as smark mobile applications and wearables.
AI is currently employed as an additional tech tool during the diagnostic process and as an active co-designer of treatment plans. From radiology assistants to early blood diseases detection, AI is yet to unfold its full potential and to revolutionise the medical field as we know it altogether. Before the Covid-19 vaccine creation, deep learning medical tools relied on an extreme amount of datasets to analyse complex medical phenomena such as exceptional symptoms and comorbidity’s effectiveness to increase the chances of successful vaccination for adults of different ages.
That is to say that without technology, progress would have been not only much more uncertain but also much slower. Future AI-powered custom software will help medical professionals during diagnostics and treatment stages, creating a better recovery prognosis for patients.
