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The future of healthcare is virtual
The future of healthcare is virtual

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Covid-19 has accelerated digital transformation across industries. Healthcare is no exception. Though digital transformation has been on the agenda for healthcare players for a while, the industry has lagged behind the transition. The Covid-19 pandemic has put healthcare providers under immense pressure and the pandemic became a turning point for digital transformation in healthcare.

Social distancing became a way of life to contain Covid-19 and the need for virtual healthcare became a necessity. People began video conferencing their doctors for diagnosis and follow-ups. The World Health Organization declared telemedicine as an essential service during the pandemic to ensure seamless delivery of essential care. Telemedicine was widely adopted by healthcare providers and it ensured seamless delivery of high-quality healthcare services and improved clinical management through digital platforms.

Digital adoption is going at a high rate, and it could drive the future of healthcare by boosting innovation in how patients can receive and consume care. This will bring in completely new outcomes for patients as well as healthcare professionals. Digital platforms will be a near-default option for healthcare enabling high-quality access to care with enhanced patient-provider interactions. According to a Deloitte report, by the year 2040, empowered consumers, radically interoperable data, and scientific and technological advances will transform the healthcare system as we know it today.

Let us look into some of the advantages of virtual healthcare.

The convenience of accessing care from home

Convenience is one of the key advantages of virtual care. Digitally enabled care allows patients to consult doctors without stepping out of their homes. Beyond the pandemic and social distancing norms, virtual healthcare will bridge the doctor-to-patient gap by delivering care to people who live in remote locations or who are homebound. Increased adoption of technologies can connect more patients with healthcare providers than ever before. Virtual care enables real-time collaborations and sharing of data across the care delivery circle.

Access to expertise and speciality doctors

There are many cases when the lack of access to speciality or expertise becomes a hindrance to timely treatment, leading to complications and loss of lives. Virtual health can very well address this issue providing patients access to experts from anywhere.

Cost-effective treatment and care

Remote check-ups and monitoring and electronic storage of medical records will significantly bring down the healthcare costs for all the parties involved - hospitals, patients, and insurance companies. For the patients, it will also help to reduce non-urgent visits to the hospital for regular checkups or follow-ups thus eliminating the possibility of picking any infection during the hospital visit and saving transportation expenses.

Remote monitoring and improved patient care quality

Virtual care revolves around patient-centric approaches like improved timeliness of care. Many patients already use blood pressure cuffs, scales, and pulse oximeters at home. When such data gets into the hands of care delivery teams on time, it can prevent hospital admissions or high-acuity care scenarios. Data from medical devices, sensors, and wearables can be synced with virtual care platforms allowing healthcare providers to proactively attend to patients.

Conclusion

Virtual healthcare is going to be the norm of future healthcare. Doctors and patients are getting comfortable with tech-driven care delivery and consumption. Virtual healthcare is here to stay even after the pandemic and it will drive the future of healthcare.

 


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