Digital Transformation in Healthcare comes of age
Digital Transformation is proving to be massively popular right now across virtually all industries as companies realise that if they don’t evolve their systems and processes they are increasingly open to disruption not just from startups but from direct rivals who have already started to implement their digital transformation strategy
One trend that it is universally agreed will occur rapidly is digital transformation in healthcare And that’s good for all of us.
In many senses health as a category has been on the forefront of technological uptake and big data for years with the perfect example being DNA sequencing which apparently now can take in a matter of hours what previously would have taken months.
But this hasn’t crossed over to the structuring and mass diagnosis of patient data or in the processing of private insurance in the connected new boom category of InsurTech
Why we need digital transformation in healthcare now more than ever
Improvements in medicine, reduction in war and nutrition have helped life expectancies increase throughout the last century. But are our populations age we are seeing a greater incidence of degenerative health issues that the NHS and most international health systems were simply not built for.
So could digital transformation make us healthier, and the healthcare industry more productive and fitter?
Here are just five ways that digital transformation in healthcare could help us live not just longer, but healthier and more productive lives:
1) Wearable devices
Smart health devices and apps are all the rage right now and it’s the perfect storm of a new innovation the end user (ie. us) values with the obvious potential benefit to personal health, diagnosis, prevention and cure.
2) Big data
As more DNA gets analysed, wearable devices profile data from our lifestyles and medical records are digitised and unified or at least accessible much greater comparative analysis will become apparent.
Healthcare providers can increasingly both survey and capture and communicate and amplify public health messages using social media.
4) Telemedicine
Our mobile phones are increasingly being used to reduce the need to travel to see a healthcare professional. It’s amazing to think that with nearly all of us carrying an advanced computer and camera in our pocket that much more can’t be done here. Just think of the preventive and self diagnosis potential in the western world even before the really real life and death scenarios of bringing telemedicine to remote communities, giving some of the world’s poorest people some form of medical care at a fraction of the cost of providing roving doctor services.
5). The Chatbot
The Chatbot is the friendly face of digital transformation and it’s ability to improve the front line administration contact with the customer is immense. It’s not crazy to see how a Chatbot could self check-in patients on route to A&E for say minor issues saving significant administrative processes, time and effort. Combining a chatbot with a telemedicine style social service using social media and a “Peoples Health Service” as a complimentary frontline service to the NHS is feasible and achievable.
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