The Digitization of Healthcare

Featured article by Jessica Oaks, freelance journalist

Technology’s reach has extended across industries and the healthcare space is no exception. Everything from mobile innovations to wearables and advanced technologies are changing the way doctors care for patients and the way patients care for themselves. These innovations are transforming every aspect of health and wellness, from patient intake to record keeping to testing and treatment. It’s undeniable that there have been huge transformations and advancements in healthcare thanks to technology, and that these are being readily embraced by doctors, hospitals, specialists and other providers. Here are just five of the ways technology is helping people lead longer, healthier lives:

Electronic Health Records

People and their providers were slow to buy into EHRs because of privacy and security concerns, and as recently as 2009, only 16% of US hospitals were using them. But by 2013, that had jumped to 80% – likely because there is evidence to suggest that EHRs can deliver better healthcare outcomes by reducing errors and making it easier for doctors, hospitals and pharmacies to deliver fully-integrated, trackable and collaborative care. Efficiency is another side effect of EHRs, especially now that healthcare is so data driven.

Telehealth

This umbrella term for everything from nursing call centers and videoconferencing to patient portals and remote monitoring is one of the most important modern innovations in the healthcare sphere. Studies repeatedly show the benefit of virtual modes of care, particularly in rural settings and ICUs. In addition to the obvious improvements to patient outcomes, there are numerous cost benefits to telehealth for both providers and people.

Wearables

While wearables may still seem like a curiosity embraced mainly by tech enthusiasts, in the healthcare sphere they encompass more than the Fitbit and various lifetracking smartwatches. Home monitoring devices track patient vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar; movements and prescription compliance; and more, and then send that clinical data to care providers as a report or in real time. According to a Berg Insight report, 3 million patients worldwide were using home monitoring in 2014 with that number expected to jump to 19.1 million by 2018.

Streamlined Communication

A number of startups have begun offering online access to doctors, specialists and nurses, potentially saving sick or injured people a trip to the ER or an in-office visit. But for those patients who would prefer to speak to their own providers, services like MyHealth Online and others are giving both providers and their patients another avenue of communication beyond phone calls. And when language puts barriers in front of communication, programs like Omnifluent Health are helping medical professionals avoid dangerous misunderstandings.

Gamification

The power of games to influence behavior is well known but it wasn’t until recently that the technology existed to capitalize on that power. The Games for Health Project is one initiative that is seriously exploring how video games can be used to engage patients and empower more consistent self care. Gaming as brain training has plenty of support in numerous studies, and video games are now helping people do things like manage their diabetes, recover more quickly from physical injuries and cope with mental illness.

Is this the beginning of Health 2.0? Most likely the answer is yes. Companies like T-Mobile are teaming up with technology partners and doctors to develop healthcare advancements that benefit providers and patients by making care more efficient and cutting costs on both sides. While many of the most interesting of these programs and technologies are still in the pilot stages, most show promise and more importantly, are proving popular with healthcare professionals and patients alike.

Via http://www.reno.va.gov/services/Telehealth.asp