Top 7 Healthcare Tech Trends You Shouldn’t Miss

As the global pandemic continues companies are paying much more attention to healthcare IT solutions. The IT industry has sprouted a plethora of IT solutions providing improvements for better connectivity, automation, management, patient care, and security.

Here are 7 top tech trends in healthcare that you should know about:

Clinical IT, VR Technology

IT teams continue to launch wearable and IoT devices to support remote patient monitoring. Health systems are utilizing programs to collect needed patient vital signs. Through IoT and wearables, providers can better communicate with patients while limiting direct contact.

Augmented virtual reality also opens possibilities in handling training, covid, and senior care. We now have a more detailed image and viewing perspective capabilities. Life-like programs for surgical training and supplemental clinical experience are now also possible.

This tech trend also supports pain management and can have therapeutic effects. Virtual capabilities such as travel and chat rooms are also helpful as a solo or group activity during quarantine.

Telehealth

Hospitals and medical establishments now incorporate virtual care as part of their health system strategy. Telehealth helps manage both chronic health conditions and Covid-19 patients well.

Companies now introduce the hybrid remote care model. In-person visits and readmissions are greatly lessened by reviewing follow-ups and urgent care cases through telehealth. Telehealth reduces traffic in hospitals, safeguarding the well-being of both patients and providers.

Organizations and systems now promote a proactive and personal approach by the patients. ‘Home healthcare delivery’ is now greatly supported by movements and organizations. Messaging and other self-service functions are now available through digital portals.

With the rapid progress in clinical IT, telehealth efforts bolster connectivity and patient education. 

Big Data

Data gathering became a necessity as the need for centralized data management arose amidst the Covid-19 issue. Management was a need as big chunks of data were being transmitted all over the world.

Cloud implementation became popular. Big companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon now have healthcare-specific clouds to cover the need for efficient data management.

Health systems are investing in secure and robust research platforms for their data. Secure storage is a must as hospitals strive to integrate computing, research, and AI with their EHRs.

Tech teams are also finding ways to allow communication among different platforms. The increasing information is a technological foundation that will change healthcare systems. But this also poses risks as well as advantages.

CIO and Cybersecurity

Medical systems are starting to use technology to gather large amounts of data in handling remote and virtual care. Hackers will most likely keep an eye on this big data mine. In 2020, ransomware attacks started to shut down or slow health operations.

CIO and IT expertise are now high in demand. As systems become digitized to build a more modern care delivery, people are now investing in more secure data.

Blockchain technology security is one potential solution in decentralizing data. Blockchain will prevent theft or unethical change of information in the system by making it incorruptible, transparent, and secure.

IT teams consisting of data scientists, security professionals, and people with clinical backgrounds work together to create new strategies and risk management. Good cyber hygiene and security maintenance are now a must in any healthcare system.

AI and automation

The casualties caused by the pandemic are threatening to cripple the very health system that provides care for the people. The reduced staff and isolation needed automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to handle the work in streamlining the electronic health record (EHRs) processes, communication, and illness detection.

AI natural language processing can deliver data to the patient’s EHR via computer. Integrating virtual voice assistants like Alexa and Google Home for medical reminders and hospital use is also being researched.

Scientists are looking forward to innovating Automated AI chatbots with capabilities to check patient symptoms. Scientists are designing algorithms and machine learning models that can accurately detect heart disease and cancer.

AI technology was already in use even before the pandemic. But it garnered mixed results in reading medical images, resulting in slow progress.

But now, healthcare needs AI for predictive models and clinical IT integration. The combination of IT and AI will further transform research and how health providers deliver medical care, improving modern virtual care capabilities.

Data Analytics

With the increase of data in the healthcare systems, a trend in data analytics is emerging. EHR systems need to have interoperability readiness so they can communicate with each other. We can apply this to keep track of vaccinations and other health concerns.

Accurate record-keeping is now vital for records and public health analytics. Apps that could offer real-time tracking and analytics are critically needed.

Data analytics is particularly promising. The advancement of machine learning models and AI opens the practice of precision medicine and predictive analysis.

This advancement in analytics helps with patient management in identifying risk factors and mortality rates. In the future, specialists will strive to incorporate analytics during bedside point of care. 

Healthcare Tech Strategies

Technology has transformed hospitals to become more digitized. To satisfy the high demands and needs of patients healthcare organizations use CRM system Healthcare systems are increasing their online presence to stay connected to patients and also changing their inside protocols.

 So in Summary:

The digital front door strategy is now the new norm. Healthcare can now integrate different processes of the system into one platform. Making a website and mobile app that can host patient portals, educational resources, telehealth visits, and scheduling are now a growing trend in companies.

Changing the sanitation process to include deep cleaning and good hygiene became a critical priority. Hospitals are looking into a host of tools and machines that could help maintain hospitals without the need for dangerous contact.

Autonomous robots that can emit ultraviolet light to kill germs and decontaminate rooms quickly is particularly a trend during the rise of Covid-19 patients.

Layout changes are also taking over. Declustering in the check-in process and identifying contagious visitors before entering the building is now a must.

With RFID technology, we can track how employees maintain good hygiene by washing their hands. Hospital entryways are also equipped with thermal cameras to detect elevated body temperature, a common Covid-19 symptom. 

Healthcare organizations are also starting to look into building design and layout. Now that there is a sudden influx of critically ill patients, companies plan to build convertible spaces, transparent glass, retrofitted rooms, touch screen kiosks, and buzzers as tech enhancement.