Top Healthcare Technology Trends to Know in 2021
Covid-19 pushed all other emergencies and medical aspects to the sidelines. Hospitals, clinicians, and patients were concerned only about the pandemic. But other patients can’t be left unattended.
Therefore, digital health came to the rescue. Health trends saw a steep rise as people look towards technology to avail medical and health assistance.
What are Examples of Health Trends?
The healthcare market saw an influx of technology to serve the patient’s needs. Telemedicine, EHRs, Internet of Medical Things, custom mobile apps — all became a cornerstone to serve patients digitally.
The biggest advantage is that people can avail on-demand healthcare services. It has increased patient engagement and brought facilities closer to them.
People can now access high-quality healthcare from the convenience of their homes.
The global digital health market is expected to reach $201.24 billion by the end of 2021 at a CAGR of 9.79%. The growth is driven by the pandemic and people becoming more tech-savvy with their healthcare efforts.
Technological advancements are facilitating digitized healthcare solutions. AR/VR, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, 3D printing, etc., are transforming how people look at healthcare.
In this article, we will highlight the top healthcare technology trends of 2021. These trends are likely to impact the near future of the industry and will help overcome multiple healthcare challenges.
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What are the Most Important Trends in Healthcare Technology?
Following are the trending healthcare technologies in 2021 that are helping healthcare companies and medical facilities achieve better outcomes -
mHealth
- The mHealth market is expected to reach $53.6 billion in 2021. It reduces the cost of patient management and helps to provide a personalized healthcare experience.
- Mobile healthcare apps are on the rise. Patients can connect with their hospital, get answers to common queries, schedule appointments, and even get online consultants — all with a single healthcare application.
- Often, people who have terminal illnesses can use the mHealth apps to connect with the hospitals in case of emergencies. During the pandemic, many people connected with their doctors over healthcare messaging apps for support.
Telehealth
- 48% of physicians say that they are treating patients through telemedicine. Telehealth enables patients to access healthcare facilities from a remote location.
- Telemedicine services involve the use of video conferencing or mobile calls to discuss the condition of the patient and provide medical treatment. It is a boon for people who cannot visit healthcare facilities from far away locations.
- Telehealth custom healthcare app development is becoming increasingly popular. More and more doctors are registering with hospitals and healthcare organizations for telehealth appointments. It makes things simpler, saves time for doctors, and cuts down heavily on the cost.
Wearable Gadgets
- Wearable devices and gadgets saw a steep rise during the pandemic. They can measure the health status of the individual on various parameters.
- From sleep monitoring to heart rate measurement to anxiety levels, today’s smart gadgets can help people better understand their major health values. In the fast paced world, these devices provide a way to take care of health in a digital way. They are also useful for IoT in healthcare.
- Some researchers suggest that wearable gadgets drive people to be less dormant and more active. Since it helps them track their daily activity, people are more likely to move and stay fit to match the count.
Artificial Intelligence
- The way data is being collected in the healthcare industry, AI and ML will become the next Euphoria technology for the industry.
- Healthcare IT systems that utilize Artificial Intelligence can facilitate advanced diagnosis and treatment. Machine Learning algorithms offer predictive analytics capabilities, enabling doctors to diagnose illnesses faster and provide solutions before it is too late.
- On top of that, AI and ML also help researchers in identifying new types of treatment with the help of research data. Many algorithms like Pfizer’s and Google’s ML algorithm are working to accurately identify cancer in the body and begin quick treatment.
Checkout: How Artificial Intelligence is Helping the Healthcare Industry
Electronic Health Records
- One of the best trending healthcare technologies in 2021 is Electronic Health Records, also known as EHRs. Online health data enables doctors to make better decisions.
- Through EHRs, different stakeholders can access the data in real time. It makes use of cloud computing to deliver the results and reports to the patients and doctors. EHRs consist of past medical data and current status to ensure patients get the right treatment.
- Today, EHRs are being integrated with modern technologies to reap the benefits. It is enabling hospitals and medical facilities to make better use of patient’s data and prescribe treatments that are more beneficial.
Virtual Assistants
- The healthcare virtual assistant market is expected to reach $2.83 billion by 2027. Virtual assistants are a major contributor to improving healthcare outcomes.
- They can collect valuable data from patients, help in scheduling appointments, provide insurance details, accept payments, answer common health queries, and do much more. Virtual assistants provide a truly personalized experience to patients.
- While medical professionals can’t be available 24x7, virtual bots can. They are now useful in reminding the elderly of their medications, ordering when the stock is finished, and connecting with the doctors as and when needed.
Big Data Analytics
- Data is now at the forefront of improving healthcare outcomes. The tons of data healthcare companies have helped to make better decisions.
- Big data analytics answers the questions that help to solve operational and healthcare problems. Doctors can see patterns in the patient’s health based on years of data and determine the right treatment path to take.
- Healthcare analytics through big data will provide insights into various diseases and their effect on the human body. Researchers and doctors can find better solutions to such problems through data analytics.
- Combining big data analytics with Machine Learning will help to overcome healthcare challenges and provide accurate results.
Click here: Machine Learning in Healthcare: 5 important developments you can’t afford to miss
Conclusion
The healthcare sector is growing dramatically. From a healthcare website to an AI-based bot, everything is building up. Stakeholders are looking for healthcare services that enhance patient outcomes.
In the coming years, AR/VR is also expected to become mainstream. Healthcare professionals will be able to get better results through augmented reality and provide better training to doctors. Collaboration will also become seamless.
Healthcare app development is on the rise as people move towards fitness and well-being apps to track their health. It is the start of a major revolution in the healthcare sector.