By Katie Brenneman, Writer, Researcher
X:Â @KatieBWrites93
A digital healthcare transformation is upon us. Now more than ever before, people are turning to online options to look for a solution to many of their healthcare issues. Here, as in many other industries, technology has the power to make a multitude of positive changes in the lives of average people.
Health system leaders who are able to capitalize on the digital transformation are those that will be best positioned to serve their communities going into the future. Taking advantage of tools such as telehealth services can expand the range of care and make services more available to typically underserved communities. Likewise, a strong social media presence can help build greater trust in healthcare and foster a community focused on positive health outcomes.
Digital adaptations to healthcare can also play a role in providing more personalized treatment. Treatments that meet patients where they can actively have an impact rather than a one-size-fits-all approach can make a real difference in terms of treatment success and follow-through. In the end, all of these approaches can make a positive difference in the lives of patients.
Online Therapy and Telehealth Services
Perhaps the most impressive digital change in the healthcare industry in recent years is the rise of online therapy and telehealth services. The use of these services was just taking off before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the pandemic pushed their use into the mainstream. Today, some statistics indicate that the use of virtual healthcare services is nearly 38 times higher than it was pre-pandemic.
Very broadly, these services enable patients to speak with professionals without leaving the comfort of their homes. This is huge for poor, rural communities where patients may have had to travel hours to see their doctor before. The time off work needed to obtain healthcare alone was a barrier to many people. Now it is possible to do many check-ups, consultations, and follow-up visits without having to make a trek, which makes healthcare far more accessible to many people.
But these types of online services don’t only benefit those in rural communities. In fact, they can make healthcare more accessible to people everywhere. This is particularly true when it comes to mental health. Today, many young adults seek mental health services online and are able to speak with a professional quickly without having to make an appointment. Speed of service, in particular, is a critical component of mental health services that make online therapy a powerful tool.
Social Media to Share Information
Digital healthcare services come in many shapes and forms. One service that many of us don’t necessarily always think about is health information sharing. However, the availability of clear, accurate information is a pivotal aspect of quality healthcare. To that end, many hospitals and healthcare clinics are turning to social media, such as by creating Facebook business accounts, and managing them to be a trusted source of information. This allows clinics to broaden their reach and also build stronger relationships with their patients.
Using social media, healthcare facilities can widely share important healthcare notices and information in an effective manner that reaches a wide swath of the community quickly. There are plenty of examples of clinics using these platforms to remind patients of annual flu season best practices or ways to manage personal health during the holidays. In this manner, healthcare professionals can have a professional and positive means of reaching out to the community with basic healthcare information.
Enhancing Patient Experiences
One of the biggest buzz phrases in digital healthcare technology spheres recently is personalized healthcare. And this is for good reason. Personalized healthcare treatments and outcomes are the prized goal of nearly all quality healthcare organizations. They recognize that nobody fits perfectly into a box and treatments that work fantastically for one person may only produce mediocre results in another.
In this way, digital services are again at the forefront. New technologies are making it easier than ever to track patient information 24/7 and understand how they are reacting to certain treatments. This allows healthcare professionals to respond more effectively and provide more precise care when and where it is needed.
Likewise, digital tools have transformed the healthcare industry by making it far simpler for patients to access their own health information. For instance, many hospitals and clinics now have apps that patients can use to schedule appointments, access their health records, or learn more about certain conditions. Many professionals believe this will lead to a better patient experience and better health outcomes as access to this type of information encourages patients to play a greater role in their care and well-being.
Healthcare is changing at a rapid rate as digital services become more widely available. Many of these changes are for the better as they enable patients to interact with healthcare professionals more readily, access their information more easily, and see a greater healthcare community surrounding them online. Tech has the power to create a personalized healthcare approach that works for everyone.