The healthcare industry has always been dynamic, fast-moving, and constantly driven by innovation. With the advent of new technological advancements and rising demand for more sophisticated and improved healthcare infrastructure, the industry is poised for some exciting changes in the coming years. Here are some emerging healthcare industry trends that we need to keep our eyes on in 2023.
Better access to health information
In the past, health information was not shared between providers. This lack of sharing meant that doctors had to record data from their patients multiple times. As a result of this duplication, more mistakes would occur, and it took longer to document a patient’s medical history accurately.
At present, these datasets are available in silos. A lot of work is being done towards creating health information portals containing unified patient profiles. Once these systems are in place, an accurate patient history will be available at the fingertips of doctors/caregivers. This will dramatically improve patient care and increase the speed of diagnosis while reducing medical errors.
Continued Growth of Telemedicine
Advances in telemedicine technologies enable clinicians to receive more real-time guidance and technical assistance. Primary use cases include diagnosis, patient monitoring, medical operations, and treatments from colleagues working remotely. Video conferencing, assisting and even running surgical procedures remotely, and machine-to-machine communication to process data from one place through programs running in another is already possible and gaining popularity.
Although telemedicine services are only available in certain areas, this situation will improve over time. People worldwide will be able to use telemedicine systems, meaning more people can get medical advice at a lower cost. Plus, with reduced office visits, doctors will be able to provide better care and see patients who might not otherwise have access to this kind of medical attention.
More Focus on Medical Chatbots
Medical chatbots are also becoming an essential part of the healthcare industry. Apart from reducing costs and streamlining administrative tasks, they now have the ability to play a vital role in providing timely medical advice.
Medical chatbots’ potential extends beyond health advice, too. They are apt for administrative tasks that require manual intervention. For example, chatbots can manage medical bill collections and answer common questions that patients ask, thus freeing up the time of medical staff to do other essential tasks.
For the most part, patients still prefer communicating with doctors regarding health issues. However, the growing acceptance of chatbots in the healthcare industry indicates how much potential these systems have in the future.
More research on Mental Health
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic led the medical industry to put greater emphasis on mental health. Compared to other fields, mental health has not received as much attention as other disorders over the past few years. Research has been pertinent but not enough to address the concerns associated with it.
In the past, mental health was a taboo subject. As a result, people did not seek timely help for their mental conditions until they became severe. Now that proper emphasis is placed on mental health, people can get treatment before their problems go out of hand. This push for better mental health has led to more research, improved treatments, and greater care for patients who have mental health issues. Good mental health is associated with better physical health, higher productivity at work, and lower costs of medical treatment.
More focus on Data Privacy
Data security is an important topic when it comes to healthcare. In the past, there have been several security breaches in which millions of patients had their health records exposed. This will become a growing concern as technology continues to develop exponentially. As more and more data is collected, it’s essential to consider the privacy concerns this brings up.
Although there has been much progress in data security, more improvement is expected in the coming years, particularly in the healthcare industry. Patients need to feel that their health records are safe and trust the systems and people who have access to their information.
First Credit Services – A leading BPO company and effective healthcare revenue cycle management agency, has always maintained a strong focus on data privacy. We take our responsibility to protect your data very seriously and are always looking for ways to improve our security measures.
More Awareness on Genomics
Genomic medicine is another important topic that will gain more attention in the future. According to ISAAA, genomics is the study of the genetic makeup of organisms.
As more research is done into genomics, we will gain a better understanding of its relationship to various diseases. Understanding the hereditary markup of a particular patient will help doctors to suggest preemptive measures, reducing the patient’s risk of developing certain conditions.
Takeaway
Advancement in the healthcare industry has been paramount to the success of our society, and we can expect exponential growth in years to come. As these trends will most likely continue, it’s important to consider the impact they will have on the future of healthcare.
Also read- 5 Mistakes to Avoid to Maximize Medical Bill Collections
