Posted by History has shown us numerous reasons to think twice before jumping to conclusions. For example, in 2008, Steve Ballmer predicted that apple would go belly-up after launching the new iPhone. Moreover, in 1916, Charlie Chaplin branded motion pictures as just a trend that won’t last forever. Finally, in 1932, renowned scientist Albert Einstein shot down the idea of nuclear power. While intelligent people might always have their facts straight, factors that are not in their control can quickly change the landscape.
Today, two years since Covid-19 hit our world, the human race is gradually adjusting to the new normal. As a result, more and more healthcare trends are popping up that are changing how we see healthcare for the better. As we try to improve economic and social factors, we are heading into a world where healthcare will see drastic improvements in costs, infrastructure, reliability, and quality. That being said, let us look at a few healthcare trends to watch out for in 2022.
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Telehealth Is The Future Of Healthcare:
While telehealth isn’t new to the healthcare industry, the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically increased the need for individuals to acquire medical services remotely. The saying that necessity is the mother of all invention holds value in such a case. Not to mention, Covid-19 has also fueled the need to bring down barriers, including Reimbursements, Healthcare provider resistance, and HIPPA concerns.
Healthcare facilities are searching for new and improved methods to address the latest patient-consumer needs for an integrated healthcare service. Instead, they seek enhanced technologies such as drive-by healthcare services and remote patient monitoring capabilities to improve patients’ access to healthcare services when social distancing is the new normal. So, whether someone’s looking for telehealth mental health services or just a routine weekly checkup, telehealth is the answer!
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Healthcare Organizations Are Now Prioritizing Consumerization And Integrated Care
According to a Darwin study conducted on numerous healthcare CEOs, around 63% stated that they had incorporated telemedicine into their electronic health records systems. This figure was at 48% one year ago. However, the most critical thing here is that healthcare facilities have changed their approach and now prioritize consumerization over patient satisfaction.
While consumerization has always been a part of the healthcare system long before the Covid-19 pandemic, it is more prominent these days, allowing the patient to control the treatment they receive and the procedures they undergo.
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There Are More Jobs And Career Growth Opportunities In Healthcare:
While staffing shortage was the most significant impact left by Covid-19 on the healthcare sector, healthcare organizations are offering improved services, including virtual hospital visits, telehealth, and remote home health services to patients worldwide. That said, these offerings open up a wide array of job opportunities for aspiring individuals who want to have a career in the healthcare industry.
For instance, health systems engineering is one emerging sub-filed of healthcare that is slowly picking up pace and seeing growth. Health systems engineers develop quality management systems, simulate a healthcare facility’s operations, assess the effectiveness of organizational controls, therapies, and processes, and ensure that a healthcare facility runs as efficiently as possible.
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Healthcare Organizations Have Increased The Utilization Of AI and Automation:
Artificial Intelligence and Automation are two technologies that have taken the healthcare sector by full force, just like other industries such as banking, finance, business, and much more. For instance, AI has changed how a healthcare facility’s radiology department works. It enables healthcare professionals to identify risks via data patterns, reduce errors in reading, and improve workflows in the process. in fact, the recent Intel and GE partnership is a prime example of what to expect in the future. In fact, both of these organizations are working towards reducing healthcare facilities’ costs by providing them with affordable imaging solutions while improving patient care through edge and cloud services. Furthermore, they also believe that their products will enhance healthcare facility efficiency through increased equipment performance, on-time, accurate treatment delivery, and reduced dosage errors.
As far as automation goes, healthcare facilities utilize data-driven information to improve caregiving. For example, command center platforms allow them to improve clinical quality and safety through systems engineering, problem-solving, and predictive analysis while managing patient inflows more efficiently. Plus, utilizing the power of automation technologies, they are also improving their business operations by streamlining and automating repetitive day-to-day tasks such as customer service, payroll management, and much more. So, don’t let it be a surprise for you if you see new technologies being incorporated into today’s healthcare facilities including.
- Healthcare Logistics Have Improved And Will Do So In The Future As Well
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, healthcare facilities now rely more heavily on reputable, reliable supply chains than they ever did in the past. Due to this, these healthcare organizations have increased their reliance on better supply chain solutions such as same-day delivery, ensuring that required healthcare equipment, medical samples, and organs reach the site on time.
Furthermore, with the help of robotics and drone technologies, critical healthcare supplies can now reach healthcare facilities more quickly than typical delivery methods. Take the example of Wake Med hospital, North Carolina partnering with delivery giants UPS. They have invented a new, innovative drone delivery system that allows healthcare facilities to transport medical samples and organs from one facility to another without any hiccups. This drone now enables hospitals to reduce delays in healthcare delivery, especially during elective surgeries such as kidney or heart transplants.
The Covid-19 pandemic shows why it is more necessary than ever to put the patients at the center of the caregiving process. In fact, data and analytics are ensuring unity between physicians and patients and allowing healthcare facilities to provide better patient-centered care. As healthcare leaders continue to make great strides to improve healthcare systems, we know that technology is at the center of everything and will continue to impact healthcare. So, expect to see more and more changes and trends come out as we move into 2022!