Technology is constantly developing and changing all the industries. Considering the importance of healthcare, no wonder it’s one of the industries that has been going through the biggest changes thanks to the development and innovations of hi-tech.
This mass development means constant change and the surfacing of some new digital trends in the medical industry. This change is so constant that sometimes it’s hard to follow what’s the newest thing. That is why we bring you the list of the latest big deals that digitalization is bringing to healthcare in 2022.
Apps for monitoring employees’ health
One of the things the COVID pandemic caused is shifting awareness of companies to their employees’ mental health and overall well-being. With so many non-essential workers starting to work from home, remote work apps were of course the most used ones, followed by those that help with mindfulness, show you how to stay calm and how to meditate.
Companies, of course, recognized how important it is to help their staff members stay in good shape mentally and started finding ways to help with monitoring it and keeping it on a satisfactory level. This can impact our view of apps, as a high percentage of employees believe their confidence in health apps will grow if the app itself is offered by the company they work for.
Hence, the health apps the companies are interested in now, are not just the ones that monitor mental health, but also a physical. Thanks to a couple of basic information these apps can get, such as calorie intake and blood sugar level, overall well-being is constantly monitored. The impact of this is huge and can change healthcare forever, as it is shifting us from curing diseases to preventing them.
E-learning in healthcare
Online education has been with us for a long time now. It finally reached even those most reluctant to believe in it or try it, when the pandemic started. Covid showed us that there is a way to learn when you can’t come to school, but there are many other benefits to remote learning.
In healthcare, many have been doubtful about courses that can be followed online. What probably caused this is that most of us feel that much practical knowledge must be involved in the education of medical professionals, and whether it’s possible for them to get the proper knowledge it if they are simply following classes online.
The benefits of online learning for healthcare workers however are numerous, especially for those who are already employed. It takes into consideration their hectic schedules and lets them attend an online course that will help them get the advanced medical certifications they need or must renew. It helps them stay on track with innovations and even allows them to pursue the next degree.
The above stated is the reason so many improvements are made to e-learning for those working in medicine, making sure that it is here to stay and, of course, develop more.
Telemedicine’s final evolving
The basic concept of telemedicine is that medical staff are using distant communication tools to evaluate, diagnose and even treat patients. This was an amazing solution for the population of remote areas without hospitals or health centers. Because it enables them to have at least medical advice if not the whole treatment even.
Considering social distancing was mandatory during the pandemic, it makes sense that this way of treating patients developed even more when a surge of COVID cases started. It was an easier and safer way to speak with your doctor and avoid going to the hospital for the risk of getting the virus. Even if the hospital is near you.
And of course, technology is the key that enables telemedicine to exist. Video conferencing tools for one, of course. But, as we said, since COVID finally speeded up telehealth’s development, we have apps in use now, and one of the next steps will be the use of artificial intelligence in the form of chatbots whose job will be to assist people in need.
And this is only the beginning, since, according to Statista, North America’s market is going to grow to become the biggest telemedicine market in the world in the next 3 years.
What does the future hold?
The future of digital trends in healthcare looks very bright of course. As we mentioned, there will be AI in telemedicine, but also other fields in healthcare. The security sector that will monitor the apps’ safety will definitely be an area to invest in to make the apps even better.
