The changing face of healthcare in pandemic times
Over 7.5 million people have been attacked by COVID-19 globally. In India, the number of cases has risen from 470 in March to over 4 lakhs, within three months. The number continues to rise as lockdown measures are being relaxed in varying capacities across countries. But thankfully, the world is now recovering from the damage. With the New Year, and Covid-19 vaccine we are all hoping for better days ahead.
Although there has been a slow adaptation of digital tools in the healthcare industry in the past, to recover from the losses incurred during the pandemic, innovation is now much needed. The influx of technology has brought a revolution in the healthcare industry. With the use of digital tools and technology, the healthcare industry is evolving rapidly.
The benefit of digital health is the convenience it provides to the patients. Though in India a large population is still not connected through digital media. So, this is a concern that needs to be discussed at all levels of the healthcare industry.
Rise Of Healthcare Digital Solutions
Online services in all sectors have seen a surge as people could not step out even for basic daily needs. During the pandemic, even the elderly had to adopt telehealth. So, the healthcare providers felt the need to facilitate services like online appointment booking and consultations, e-prescriptions, door-step delivery of medicine, and so on. They understand now that it is the way forward to attract, treat, and retain patients.
Telemedicine and virtual care
Due to COVID 19 both the patients and the healthcare practitioners realized the importance of digitalization. The number of virtual consultations has increased during the pandemic. There are several benefits of telemedicine and virtual care including the reduced risk of spreading contagion and enabling the healthcare practitioners to conduct more patient consultations in a day as the slots are pre-determined and the necessary steps of sanitization are not needed as in the cases of physical consultations. We as a country are now also realizing that this is of great help in bridging the gap of doctor-patient ratio.
There’s almost an 80% rise in consumption of digital healthcare services after Covid-19. The pandemic has almost entirely changed how the healthcare industry in India operates. With telehealth, hospitals are now also concerned about reaching patients online, how to deliver and protect the patient information. Healthcare practitioners and hospitals are now exploring new possibilities with digital media and it is only possible by being visible online.
By online visibility, we mean having a strong presence over the web which can happen through Web Solutions, Mobile Applications, Google Ads, Search Engine Optimization, Educational Videos, and Social Media Optimization. It is important to be available on all these platforms for two reasons: one, we don’t know which platform the patient is searching you/your services on; and two, the patient would want to cross-check the information about your healthcare brand. Just being ‘visible’ in the eyes of the prospective patients is not enough. To make them trust your healthcare brand, you need to share the right information through educational and procedure videos, patient testimonials, and before-after pictures on various platforms. These are the prerequisites of online lead generation that definitely can’t be ignored. But the journey doesn’t end here. Lead management is crucial to ensure that you keep the trust that you have built through digital media and convince the patient to consume your services.
AI and Data-driven predictive analysis New Trend In Healthcare
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the healthcare industry badly which a layman may not have realized. Healthcare practitioners and organizations had to bear losses as the patients were not ready to visit the hospitals for medical procedures and surgeries. People are avoiding visiting hospitals due to the fear of catching the infection.
There has been a quick rise in the amount of health data collection during the pandemic. When the benefits to individual wellbeing are clearly expressed, there is a readiness to share personal details. Track and trace programs have greatly helped in keeping infection levels under control. This demands prediction tools powered by Artificial Intelligence for optimizing the use of available resources even in times of crisis. It is expected that in 2021, not just hospitals but medical insurance firms will also invest more in predictive analytics to be prepared for unpredictable situations.
Business intelligence and analytics platforms
Nowadays health systems. are making strategic investments in business intelligence analytics to better understand patients and tailor the patient experience. The systems can leverage data-driven insights using clinical, financial, and operational data paired with patient feedback to develop a complete picture of how patients interact with their organization. Clinicians can use business intelligence to help coordinate treatment plans based on symptoms, identify patients for follow-up care, and track readmission rates. Business intelligence can help coordinate staff schedules and optimize the supply chain.
Digital front door
The spread of coronavirus infection has led to social distancing, the way consumers interact with companies is changing and they are placing more value on the digital experience. The same is true for hospitals and health systems; many now see their "digital front door" as the first impression patients have of their health system The "digital front door" includes the health system website and mobile app, and has functions such as the patient portal, scheduling, telehealth visits, and patient education.
AI chatbots
The use of artificial intelligence chatbots, which provide patients with essential communication, has advanced amid the pandemic. By employing machine processing to educate and assist patients during this time of great information demand, healthcare professionals have been able to more efficiently reach patients and, in some cases, triage their needs. Microsoft recently launched a chatbot to identify patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and would be good candidates to donate plasma for treating the disease.
Robotics
Robots are also playing an important role in patient care at some hospitals. The robotic technology can perform simple tasks in the patient's room to preserve staff and PPE during the pandemic. In some cases, the robot may include a screen with a nurse or doctors' face or voice to connect with the patients on a human level while in isolation.
Conclusion
One of healthcare’s biggest challenges today is that to what degree do health systems have the digital capacity to meet the needs of its customers. This includes helping to prevent people from getting infected by COVID-19 or managing other chronic conditions. This is the heart of where digital health ecosystems play an important role.