Technological advancements are transforming the entire healthcare industry.
The proliferation of new technology in healthcare is exploding. The following list highlights some opportunities and concerns for these rapidly evolving technological advancements:
Wearable Tracking Devices
I heard on the radio there are now 70 million people in the U.S. are using wearable tracking devices to monitor their physical activity, sleep patterns, calorie consumption, and a whole lot more. This is an exciting new frontier with so much potential to improve patient care. It will be fun to see the impact this trend has on improved patient engagement.
Patient-Centered Care
A significant change in the healthcare industry’s approach to providing care is underway—putting the patient at the center of care. The goal is to improve patient satisfaction scores and engagement.
But, this is new territory, and the industry as a whole is just starting to look into ways to engage with patients outside of a traditional office visit. For example, many providers haven’t yet tapped social media to build relationships with their customers. This will need to change, especially as patients begin to shop for healthcare the way they shop for cars or electrician services—by searching the Internet, looking for quality metrics and patient reviews, and comparing prices.
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Increased Data Demands
Both clinicians and administrative leaders are hungry for data to make decisions and guide their planning. Yet, there always seems to be a missing piece of information, such as which skilled nursing facility a patient was discharged to. For this example, providers either have to make assumptions based on unreliable data or try to get that data through cumbersome processes. (My colleague, Tim Campbell, talks more about those inefficiencies.)
Data Security
Patient privacy issues (including concerns about data breeches) will continue to be top-of-mind for providers, payers, and consumers, especially with ongoing data breeches in the news. Providers and payers will need to step up data security to avoid the type of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violations that can negatively impact an organization.