Thanks to the constant evolution of digital technologies, healthcare industry has been gaining innovative and efficient applications. The digital transformation, in regard to the healthcare sector, is an ongoing process. New health information technologies keep emerging on a regular basis. Medicine and technology have been going hand-in-hand for long now.
Not just enterprising and innovative biotech companies, astounding health information technologies as well have been found to be the contributing factors to saving millions of lives. With unprecedented progress in several fronts, healthcare industry is always largely unpredictable.
Medical information technologies have transformed the way providers interact with patients. Payment model in medical industry has also changed from volume based to value-based paradigm.
What are the emerging technologies that are expected to take the healthcare industry to the next level?
Despite being accustomed to getting newer, unheard of technologies every year, the unpredictability in healthcare setting proves both unnerving and exciting. From data drawn from reliable and educated sources, it is evident that the following emerging technologies will greatly influence the medical ecosystem in the year 2019:
- Robotic Surgery: Helping medical professionals in achieving control, flexibility, and precision, robotic surgery is about to be used extensively in a lot of minimally invasive procedures in future. Complex and highly difficult procedures can be performed by adopting this technology, making the work of providers easy and efficient. Quoted to assist surgeons and enhance their work in a big way, this is one of the promising futuristic healthcare innovations.
- Electronic Medical Records (EMRs): Although outwardly appearing to be something not so new, EMRs, after years of use by most of the health systems in the advanced nations, have just only started producing the expected results. This digital means of patient record maintenance and information exchange is about to open quite a few new avenues in patient care. Extensive EMR adoption is just the tip of the iceberg; we are yet to see and experience the unlimited benefits of EMRs in future.
- Smartphone Use in Classrooms: In addition to innovations occurring at the care point, medical schools are about to experience a few unanticipated changes as well. Medical students will be allowed to collaborate better and will be facilitated to achieve interactive sessions of learning together, thanks to digital devices.
- Health-Tracking Mobile Apps: With mobility solutions being seen to cater to the needs of various industries, healthcare setting is not far behind. Exclusive healthcare mobile apps will be developed for accurately and efficiently tracking significant parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure, sleep period, and distance covered by walk. Viewing, saving, analyzing, and comparing data will become possible, thus opening the door for more efficient care.
- Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning: Managing and transmitting critical health data proves essential in saving lives and ensuring better health of patients. Healthcare data processing will be expedited greatly, thanks to the futuristic technology of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. AI and ML algorithms will be greatly helpful in identifying and diagnosing health problems.
- Blockchain Systems & Data Security: Along with the increased use of sensors and wearables comes the huge volume of medical data that is generated. This will necessitate meeting the challenges of data security, privacy, and integrity, in addition to interoperability. Using blockchain technology such as leveraging cryptocurrency markets for payments and smart contracts with healthcare organizations is expected to help resolve such challenges.
Revolutionary Changes in Healthcare Caused by Technology
- Information access and sharing
Information sharing between providers and patients and among healthcare professionals has been found to be greatly influenced by dynamic applications of modern technologies. These are expected to revolutionize the healthcare sector. Disrupting technologies and tools will be facilitating efficient care delivery in 2019.
With precision and timely access to health information being facilitated by modern health information tools and technologies, providers will be able to deliver the most optimal care to patients. Safer, superior, and reliable healthcare services will be provided to patients. Patients’ well-being and health will become closely accessible to them, increasing their participation in their health management.
- Technology will move patients to the center
Focus will be more on patients rather than diseases or illness. Technology will help to make the shift toward patient-centric care. With the futuristic healthcare technologies having the ability to automate several daily tasks of medical professionals, clinicians and physicians will gain more time to spend with patients.
- Virtual health will become common
Helping patients to communicate directly and effectively with caregivers, virtual health technology will enable physicians to see more patients as well. This will empower providers to better deal with clinical complexities and ensure that patients take greater roles in their own care.
With years passing on, there will be considerable improvement in the technology front related to medicine and pharmaceuticals. As the progress of medical information technology has been unlimited and unforeseen in the recent past, it is not predictable what the future holds in stock for the healthcare industry!
Author Bio
Kumar Subramaniam, the Co-founder and CEO of Kaaspro Enterprises has been spearheading the organization with zest and zeal. An alumnus of the renowned institute of PSG group, and one of the founding members of Kumaran Systems, he has an extensive experience of three decades in the industry.
Driven by the objective of providing affordable and reliable cloud-based healthcare technology solutions to enterprises, he leads the team from the front.
Developing health IT solutions with due diligence by considering all the essential and latest trends, while using the most modern technologies leads to making it easy for the upcoming generation. This is the primary vision of Kumar Subramaniam.