The Future of Healthcare

The Future of Healthcare Hinges on Widespread Adoption of Digital Technology Digital ecosystems have a profound impact on healthcare and improve access, costs, and quality of care. But there are challenges that must be addressed.

The current healthcare model is flawed and underequipped to handle the opposing forces of greater restraints on government spending and an ageing population. But technology could be of help.

Technology is playing a pivotal role in transforming healthcare to rein in costs, improve access, and save lives. Two of the biggest changes that will shake up healthcare systems will be the location of care (bringing care into patient homes) and disruptions to the type of care offered (identifying health degradation early for prevention).

Below figure depicts how “care environment” going to transform in the coming years, and why every healthcare needs to be aligned to it.

Source: ECG Management Consultants

IMC’s transformation of its patient portal platforms is a great example of improving the access, patient experience and at the same time easing the revenue generation through bookings.

Low-cost digital diagnostic devices can measure vital signs such as respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature easily and accurately with little more than the use of smartphone and other small devices.

This is especially important in addressing the global epidemic of chronic diseases where home-based treatments are far more effective and inexpensive than the current model of periodic clinic visits.

As such, a patient’s home could become an ideal new location of care, as virtual care broadens access to healthcare in rural areas, especially in emerging economies. The widespread adoption of telehealth technology can be a force of greater good by alleviating many of the burdens that currently face healthcare, as hospitals won’t have to add new beds and can provide access to care at a lower cost.

Alligned to our approach of enriching the patient journey, we have also introduced the “Sysmptom Checker” tool which helps patients with different diseases which they might have to check with their care providers.

Muhammad Siddiqui Healthcare CIO| CISO | Digital Transformation | Health Futurist | Drives Enterprise Transformation that Aligns IT to Business Priorities via Expert Insight into People, Processes + Customers