Why is Digital Health Important to the Future of Healthcare?

The healthcare sector faces challenges in keeping up to date with the newest technologies. You might have noticed that many facilities use old operating systems, and important health data is recorded on paper.

Updates to these systems need to be worldwide, and this presents challenges. Funding is critical for the development and it isn’t guaranteed that every country can afford a nationwide restructure. 

Digital health promises to help push the healthcare sector into the 21st Century, one step at a time. However, few people understand the term ‘Digital Health’ and what it means for the future of healthcare. 

Digital health is an all-encompassing term for many of the health technology developments that you use today. 

What is Digital Health

Digital health involves the integration of digital technologies with healthcare. This can include tools for both patient use and professional use. 

The most recognisable introduction of digital health for consumers is in the form of wearables. Wearable tech like the Apple Watch and Fitbits are becoming increasingly popular. They can monitor heart rates, blood oxygen, activity levels and more. These typically combine with a mobile application, which is another example of the integration of digital health into our daily lives. 

There are also lesser-known implementations of digital health across the healthcare sector. These include developments in AI, machine learning, smart drug delivery systems,online pharmacies, robotics and more. They all have the potential to push the health sector into the future, worldwide. 

Efficiency

Access to healthcare data can be one of the biggest hurdles to overcome when attempting to treat a patient. It can cause costly delays in treatment time. The current healthcare records system is outdated, and there are some large gaps in patient data. Records are stored on incompatible systems, and some are still stored on paper files. This means that professionals spend more time chasing records, rather than assessing their patients. 

AI and machine learning have the potential to rectify this problem. New AI developments have the ability to search through and compile all available data on a patient. Whilst this may not fill all the gaps, it is significant time-saving. This means that more time can be spent working with the patient, which is key for a Doctor.

Disease Identification

The timely identification of a disease is a key factor in a patients’ recovery. Despite plenty of research, it can be challenging for one person to eliminate all potential illnesses. AI can help identify disease early, and construct a treatment plan. 

It has the ability to scour hoards of healthcare data, to come to a conclusion quickly based on previous cases. This means that patients can be treated quicker, and have better chances of improvement.

Reduce Costs

Digital health can reduce the costs of acquiring healthcare and costs to the healthcare sector. Healthcare systems are vastly oversubscribed, and underfunded. It is key to reduce the strain on healthcare sectors worldwide. 

Health apps have allowed patients to manage long term health conditions and practice self-care. This means fewer physician visits for check-ins, saving costs for both the patient and the healthcare system. 

Wearables also provide health monitoring data. You may not have a chronic disease, but they allow you to keep an eye on your overall health. You can identify changes to your fitness levels, heart rate and more. This allows you to only spend on doctors visits when you are sure that you need them. 

This will also promote the appropriate use of emergency care facilities. Patient data can be monitored, and the necessary care administered. Emergency facilities are over-run around the world, as people seek advice for minor ailments. Health apps can advise the public on appropriate treatment, or where to seek advice. This leaves emergency rooms free to focus on life-threatening cases, meaning more efficient treatment.

Access

The cost of treatment is one of the biggest challenges to receiving effective care in many countries. Health insurance is costly, and not all people have access to the necessary funds. 

Reducing costs means that those in poorer households can access the healthcare that they need. 

Poorer countries also have issues providing healthcare to their citizens. Treatments and medications are expensive, and third world countries have to prioritize their budgets. However, digital health technologies can reduce the number of resources needed to develop and administer treatment. This could improve overall global health. 

Prevention

Prevention is far better than treatment. Thanks to digital health, ailments can be caught much earlier. Symptoms of illness are noticed much earlier, as there is a fuller picture of a patients health. Preventative treatments are much more cost-effective for the patient, and the healthcare industry. This is one of the most important factors for people receiving treatment. 

Personalization

Everybody is unique and responds differently to varying medications and treatment. There is no guarantee that one singular treatment method will solve an illness. As an example, chemotherapy can react differently from one patient to another. 

Precise monitoring tools can help guide treatment plans. Treatment can be changed depending on symptoms, heart health, blood levels and more. This can provide more accurate treatment, that is tailored to the individual, rather than the masses. This could be key to the successful treatment of singular patients. 

Public Health

Public health has improved steadily over time, and this is due to developments within the healthcare sector. Life expectancy is higher than ever. The latest technologies have allowed fast and extensive research into new diseases. These technologies enabled the speedy creation of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Improved health monitoring means access to increasing amounts of public health data. Professionals can learn more about how diseases work and what symptoms they present. They can also learn about the effectiveness of treatments and medications. 

Treatment for life-changing diseases like cancer and heart disease will continually improve. Digital health is key to the eradication of some of the most damaging diseases. 

At Vertrical, we are specialists in digital health software development and we have expertise in compliance to support the development of your health tech innovation. Get in touch with us today to learn how we can help your digital health company scale.