Written by Martin Jones
Current and emerging medical technology is changing how hospitals, clinics and medical practices deliver care. However, healthcare organizations face workforce and security challenges – challenges that must be met while meeting increasing demands from patients. Although wage increases and employment investments help, they are not enough to stave off immediate and future problems.
Digital health technology presents an opportunity for executives to improve levels of care and efficiency, while improving experiences and reducing costs. Think about the role of medtech in healthcare and learn how your organization can lead by example.
The role of technology in health care
According to Deloitte, 92% of survey respondents consider a better patient experience to be the “best desired outcome from digital transformation.”1 The improvements stem from how medtech connects patients with data and healthcare providers. It plays a key role in the shift from disease treatment to health management and also works to mitigate operational inefficiencies and provide actionable insights.
Leaders are embracing emerging medical technology to support short- and long-term cost reduction and error prevention goals. Although its role may vary by application, ultimately, it improves patient care and overall efficiency.
Empowering connected patients
Informed patients demand a seat at the table, and connected health models ensure they have that seat. Medtech, including cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and automation, encourages participation in treatment decisions. Patients interact through mobile phones and tablets in the room or smart displays and Internet portals.
Medtech and connected applications drive value-based care initiatives and consist of many technologies, such as:
- Patient wearable devices: Interactive equipment allows real-time data collection for inpatient and home care.
- Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePROs): Treatment and drug trials benefit from ePROs, which allow patients to create electronic diaries.
- Interactive care systems for television: In-room display technologies serve as a digital dashboard, entertainment and environmental monitoring.
Increase staff efficiency and operational efficiency
Real-time location solutions (RTLS) and cloud-based systems support diverse productivity and efficiency goals in hospitals and medical practices. Automated back- and front-office processes reduce human activities, allowing staff to focus on direct patient care. Likewise, web-based patient services tracking and digital records management streamline workflow while improving accessibility.
Sensor technologies with RTLS applications provide information about equipment and patient locations. In turn, employees spend less time tracking assets, from wheelchairs to defibrillators. In addition, central command centers help doctors and registered nurses manage capacity, equipment and supplies. Supervisors view operations schedules and room availability in real time on dashboards. These capabilities use data and automation to make faster, more accurate decisions that lead to increased efficiency.
Shifting from disease treatment to health management
The future of healthcare involves a shift to managing health, not just treating diseases. Providers are already using AI to accurately detect diseases in the early stages. It can help with many preventative care measures. For example, an artificial intelligence program developed by researchers at the Houston Methodist Research Institute in Texas “interprets mammograms and translates patient data into diagnostic information 30 times faster than a human doctor, and with up to 99% accuracy.”2
AI also uses pattern recognition to identify patients at risk or show trends in declining health. By combining these technologies with mobile applications, providers and patients can enter information, communicate and present ideas from their smartphones.
Design comfortable and effective patient experiences
According to an Accenture survey, 35% of respondents said that “well-coordinated care and communication between medical providers and their staff is important.”3 Additionally, consumers want to access healthcare services conveniently and conveniently, using their preferred devices and formats.
Wearable devices, mobile apps, and cloud tools allow patients to monitor their health and decide when to seek help. They interact with medical staff, share health data from their remote sensors and schedule appointments online. When patients arrive at the facility, RTLS and wayfinding apps guide them through the next steps of their journey, including verifying their identity using biometric tools such as fingerprint or facial recognition.
Automation and artificial intelligence move equipment and patients to ideal locations for timely procedures and provide patients with real-time updates via a mobile app. Once treatment is complete, patients can view feedback and results. Streamlining customer services and engagement through technology can increase patient satisfaction and drive patient-centric initiatives.
Helping organizations achieve specific business goals
Technology can deliver successful results across various departments regardless of organizational priorities. Every IoT device, sensor or application collects data and provides insights. Healthcare business leaders use predictive analytics to enhance experiences and keep back-office operations running. They can deploy technologies on a small scale and measure progress toward specific goals while also identifying future use cases.
Healthcare Leadership: Leveraging Technology to Become an Industry Leader
Technology can give your healthcare system a competitive edge in innovation and turn your brand into a household name. Furthermore, your connected services can serve as a model of care and efficiency. Forward-thinking strategies deploy the right technologies to target populations at crucial moments. Every step moves your facility toward enterprise-level digitalization.
Building a networking and security foundation
Communication or speed gaps impact the success of your digital initiatives. There are few things that can slow down the implementation process as quickly as your sensor detection not working on assets that have been moved to the basement. Work with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to find bandwidth or coverage issues and complete a network assessment.
Likewise, a managed service provider (MSP) can identify ways to secure your infrastructure and increase visibility into application and device usage. Paying attention to connectivity, security, and understanding your path forward as your needs grow helps put key technology components in place early.
Assess employee skills gaps
Technology's role is to assist your workforce, not replace it. But successful implementation depends on having skilled technology teams and support staff. Department leaders should survey employees and note areas for improvement. In some cases, you may want to consider outsourcing technical support and working with local partners to develop on-site and virtual training programs.
Creating smart healthcare strategies
Technology enables smart healthcare strategy. However, the approach you take will vary depending on your specific problems. For example, automation and tablets help organizations deal with workforce shortages. Nurses use the devices to quickly access electronic health records (EHRs), and patients can self-report some information, offsetting nurses' workloads.
On the other hand, tablets can also improve the patient experience, allowing them to access health data, order food or seek help. A smart strategy that adopts technology in vital fields, measures its success, and calculates future expansion.
Technology helps deliver 4P medicine
The future of healthcare is predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory. Technology will help you achieve these goals, making your organization a model and industry leader. Achieve your care and efficiency goals by creating a smart healthcare strategy that addresses your current and future problems.
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References
- Appleby, C., et al. October 26, 2021. Digital transformation: from buzzword to imperative for health systems. Deloitte Center for Health Solutions and Scottsdale Institute. https://www.deloitte.com/global/en/our-thinking/insights/industry/health-care/digital-transformation-in-healthcare.html
- Griffiths, S. August 26, 2016. This AI program can tell if you're at risk of cancer before symptoms appear. Wired. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/cancer-risk-ai-mammograms
- Safavi, K., et al. August 6, 2021. Digital Adoption: Reaction or Revolution? Accenture https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/health/digital-adoption-healthcare-reaction-or-revolution
