Empowering Patients: The Role of Digital Transformation in Personalized Healthcare

As the World Gets Digitally Healthy

Digitization has fundamentally transformed the patient-provider relationship, applying tools and technology to redefine processes and practices. Besides creating a patient-centric approach for better experiences, digital interventions have enhanced the efficacy of providers by deploying new ways to deliver care, highlighting the benefits of digital transformation in healthcare. As per a Deloitte survey, 90 percent of healthcare professionals believe that digitization has increased productivity and the quality of medical services.

What does Digital Adoption Mean for Healthcare?

Digital adoption has amped the quality of offerings across the sector by driving innovation and efficiency through healthcare services. Whether it is wearables powered by IoT or virtual consultations, data management or real-time patient feedback, digital tjavascript:void(0)echnologies have broadened the horizon for medical care, displaying potential for the years to come. A survey by Future Market Insights claims a noteworthy CAGR of 14.5 percent by 2033 for digital transformation in healthcare.

Some notable trends revolutionizing the healthcare spectrum are:

• Wearables
  Wearable technology devices enable patients to monitor health metrics in real-time and prevent any major health event. Interestingly, the current global medical wearables market is valued at USD 12.7 million

• Virtual Consultations
  Online interactions with medical specialists have simplified the delivery of healthcare services by reducing the time and effort to seek medical help. With a market share of 33.5 percent, North America is the largest telemedicine consumer

• Patient Portals
  Designed to store and access patient data and medical history, these patient portals have seamlessly altered the medical experiences for patients, doctors and medical professionals. As much as 82 percent of healthcare professionals and providers find it to be critically important in the current day scenario

• Data Aggregation
  Expansive data records, from lab data to medicine histories and others require dedicated platforms to keep the information secure and to optimally utilize it for future innovations. CX leaders from the top 34 healthcare organizations plan to spend around 19 percent of the allocated budgets towards data and research, as per a Forrester Report

• Disease History Analysis and AI screening
  Extending the personalization element by the extra mile, disease history analysis tools enable doctors to conduct an in-depth analysis of the patients’ disease history to create a customized treatment plan. Another popular tech tool is AI-based screening, which collects data and saves patients’ time by routing them to the most appropriate point of contact

Digital Edge for the Global Healthcare- Benefits and Impact

Advancements in digital technology have redefined healthcare procedures and patient care in multiple ways. With forecasted worldwide global spends of USD 3.4 trillion by 2026, digitization is ready to reshape the future of medical services. Some of the notable benefits of digital transformation in healthcare are:

• Improved Patient Care
  Digital communication channels enable virtual consultations and patient treatment, making it a seamless experience. Additionally, customized treatments can be administered by leveraging predictive modelling and data analytics, delivering high quality care. Canada based Swift Medical leverages AI to measure, document and monitor wounds and has helped reduce wound-led hospitalizations by 14 percent using their solution, states a McKinsey report

• Enhanced Data Security
  Valuable patient data and other critical information can now be stored through EHRs (Electronic Health Records). AI is being deployed to supplement critical data analytics requirements, streamlining workflows and providing better insights. Up to USD 5 million per year has been saved by hospitals that make use of EHRs, states an NHS survey

• Better Patient Engagement
  Omnichannel platforms have reduced gaps in patient provider communication, making it a swift and convenient process. Educational videos apprising patients and their kin are changing how people perceive treatment.

• Operational Efficiencies
  Advanced technology has helped in cutting down the time taken for several processes. Using mobile devices, handheld computers and clouds to preserve data bring in efficiency and efficacy in everyday operations. Metrohealth hospitals in Cleavland reduced the next available appointment time by 30 percent by integrating AI into their EPIC system to gauge the possibility of appointment cancellation/no-show

• Cost Reduction
  AI-driven efficiencies make informed and accurate predictions, and the use of tele-medicines for extended and timely reach, mobile health apps for early detection of ailments and other technological innovations are enabling healthcare organizations to identify and curb wasteful expenditures and cut down on unnecessary costs

Future of Personalized Healthcare

With the rapidly evolving digital technology landscape, healthcare organizations must prioritize and invest in the most feasible solutions that ensure value at every stage and enable sustained growth. The Future Insights Survey by Deloitte reveals that as many as 76 percent of healthcare executives were focused on investing in insights and analytics, while 68 percent vouched for virtual health services and around 56 percent plan to invest in cloud based services.

While investing in technology has its advantages, it is imperative to establish checkpoints at every milestone to ensure that the transformation is seamless, error-free and ROI-driven. Digital maturity empowers the future of healthcare through a patient-centric approach to drive operational efficiencies and improved health outcomes.