Digital Systems & Technology in Healthcare

   

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Switching to digital is the trend that we are witnessing in every sector and healthcare is not only a non-exception but also a step ahead to go digital. It has the potential to open many doors that the traditional healthcare system finds difficult.

Digital healthcare systems are gaining increasing popularity among the population as it has major benefits both from the perspective of a patient and from a healthcare provider point of view.

There are many platforms available in the market to support these digital health systems which have the capability of bringing several positive changing the pattern of medical care delivery.More innovations in this area are also expected to revolutionize the healthcare system in general.

Though the digital health system may not be a full-on replacement for the traditional method of healthcare, it can complement the medical services and lay a foundation on the new wave of healthcare services. However, the receptive nature of the population needs to be considered.

The shift of the population from disease care to literal health care is one of the major opportunities that the digital health system can have.Here the emphasis is on the well-being of the person rather on the mere elimination of illnesses.

Another reason for the increasing popularity of the digital health system is the advantage of time and location that these platforms give the healthcare consumers. From a bird’s eye view, digital systems have high potential to improve the access, quality and efficiency of healthcare.

    

Benefits of Digital Health System:

The prime benefit for the patients is the convenience that this model of healthcare can bring to ease the lives of people. Any consumer can avail the digital healthcare facilities as per their schedule and location which can save a lot of time and money.

In the case of those healthcare services which are inseparable from physical facilities, the online healthcare apps that complement the physical healthcare system helps to schedule timings through online and book slots as per their convenience.

Another important benefit for patients by switching to digital healthcare facilities is the mode of service. The platforms and providers in the digital system are trying to bring in a customized care facility which can improve the satisfaction of the consumers at a higher degree.

With the effective use of technology, customized care has more potential to broaden its horizon and tailor the services for each patient. This can help bridge the physical gap between the patient and the doctor to an extent.

Digital health system helps to significantly address the issue of accessibility in healthcare. The remote population will have huge benefits upon the effective implementation of the digital health system and can resolve the issue of equity in healthcare simultaneously.

By increasing the reach of healthcare through these digital platforms, it is much easier for diagnosis and other services specifically for a certain group of patients like old-age population, etc.

Looking from a providers' point of view, digital healthcare can significantly reduce administration efforts and costs. Doctors can give more focus on patient care and has the tremendous opportunity of expanding their reach.

The healthcare platforms to manage OPD and other administrative tasks have also been popular right from an individual clinic to a multi-specialty hospital. There are myriad options to choose in terms of features, scalability and compatibility.

These digital platforms use various technological aspects to ease the mundane tasks and help’s the doctors to focus on improving care facilities. Provisions like e-prescriptions, online medical records and online appointments have been popular among these.

Another perk of the digital health system is the enormous scope it has in preventive care facilities. As the illness trend among the population is moving towards the increase of chronic diseases, preventive care is high in demand and is an effective care method to improve the health status.


Endnote:

Digital healthcare is not a 100% replacement model for the physical model of healthcare delivery. But given the huge benefits, it can offer to the healthcare stakeholders; it will certainly be a mainstream healthcare system parallel to the physical system in the long run.

 

Written by – Arun S.

Edited by – Adrija Saha