As a result of the pandemic, the medical industry has seen a rise in new tech that has quickly advanced healthcare capabilities. Though digital technologies have become increasingly common over the past few years, the increased work and patient loads due to COVID are pushing things along faster than anticipated to meet demands.
Now, in what feels like a rapid, overnight transformation, we are seeing the healthcare industry use solutions like artificial intelligence (AI) and wearable IoT devices to improve patient care. However, while many of the latest tech trends and advancements are meant to benefit healthcare workers and patients alike, these upgrades can take some getting used to. Older patients especially may have a hard time with new healthcare technologies and may initially see it as a bane rather than a benefit.
This article will look at some of the latest tech trends in healthcare and how there can be benefits and downfalls to their implementation.
1. AI Healthcare Chatbots
One of the issues facing the healthcare industry today is being able to assist all patients without leaving them waiting for long periods. With an increase in appointments and patient concerns, healthcare workers struggle to fit everyone into their daily schedule while still maintaining a high level of customer service and patient care. However, with AI-powered chatbots, healthcare workers can better manage their daily tasks while still giving patients the assistance they need.
Artificially intelligent chatbots use machine learning to make decisions based on what they perceive to be the issue based on words a patient uses. For example, instead of having a patient immediately call in to make an appointment, they will first chat with a bot that will determine the best course of action, which could eliminate the need for a phone call or an appointment. This allows healthcare workers to free up their time for patients who need to be seen.
However, there can be negatives to forcing patients to use a chatbot system. While great strides have been made with AI technology, chatbots are not foolproof. If a patient is not clear and direct about their issues or symptoms, the chatbot might not be able to understand and make the best decision, which could lead to a lack of patient care.
While these chatbot systems are helpful, it’s vital for healthcare facilities to allow patients to bypass the chatbot if needed — especially in emergency situations. Facilities that use these systems need to ensure that patients aren’t confused and can still easily call in to get the help they need if necessary without having to jump through hoops. It should be about using the AI chatbot technology to assist and complement services but not entirely replace human interactions.
2. Remote Patient Monitoring
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a new technology that enables a network of devices to be connected using sensors, software, and other technologies. In the healthcare industry, IoT devices are being used to improve patient care with remote monitoring. This enables patients to receive a high level of attention and care without physically being present.
IoT devices and wearables allow healthcare workers to monitor things like vital signs so they can check in on their patients easily and efficiently. This frees up time for other tasks as well as space for patients that need a higher level of attention and care.
Accessibility is also a major concern for many patients, but with remote monitoring, they don’t have to worry about how they will get to an appointment. Remote monitoring is also highly beneficial for patients who are immunocompromised who might otherwise put themselves at risk by regularly visiting a doctor’s office or a hospital. Instead, they can stay safe at home while their doctor checks in on them using an IoT device.
Again, however, it’s crucial for healthcare workers not to abuse these systems. Patients who are set up for remote monitoring still deserve the same quality of care as anyone else. It’s easy to forget that someone is a person with basic needs when they aren’t right in front of you. IoT devices are meant to help healthcare workers bridge gaps in care and make telehealth services more accessible, not slack on duties and neglect remote patients.
3. Big Data
The ability to track and measure data using various systems and technologies has significantly impacted the healthcare industry and will only continue to improve processes. Big data, or data analytics, is essentially the process of using tools and devices to collect data that helps professionals make more informed decisions and implement changes where necessary.
For the healthcare industry, things like clinical research and trials are used to gather data that can help healthcare professionals better understand how something works, enabling them to provide better solutions. With advances in technology, collecting this data is much simpler and can be done on a larger scale to get more conclusive results.
Individuals that participate in trials and studies can now easily be monitored remotely, allowing healthcare workers to continuously measure their health data. This helps bypass limitations, enabling participants to be studied without significantly disrupting their daily lives. And the more data that is continually pulled, the more complete and accurate the results will be, which allows for improved solutions.
4. Cybersecurity Mesh and Privacy-Enhancing Computation
Another major trend in technology that is having a positive impact across numerous industries, but especially in healthcare, is improved cybersecurity. With everything going digital, it’s more important than ever to take extra precautions to protect private patient information.
Having everything stored online in one place makes it easier for cybercriminals to steal data, which is why healthcare companies are taking measures to implement advanced cybersecurity technologies to stop this from happening. Privacy-enhancing computation (PEC), for example, helps to limit data sharing, in turn, protecting patient data and other information from being hacked and copied.
Cybersecurity mesh is also being used to protect data that is transferred back and forth with IoT devices. Previously, it was challenging to protect data stored across a network of connected devices, but cybersecurity mesh now makes this possible by protecting the critical infrastructure of interconnected networks and devices.
Conclusion
Most of the trends we are seeing in healthcare tech are highly beneficial and can help advance the industry. Solutions like big data, remote monitoring, and artificially intelligent chatbots can help improve patient care and enable healthcare professionals to make more informed decisions.
However, as with any new tech, it’s essential not to forget that people still need that human touch and connection, especially in healthcare. Healthcare technologies should be used to help and assist, but they should never completely cut out human interactions that are still necessary to provide quality patient care.
