In 10 years the electronic medical record will be the minor player, in terms of where a person’s health history lives. Most of that information will be kept on the phone or in a secure cloud, and the patient will be highly engaged with collecting, curating, and sharing that data. Most doctor visits will be like calling up a YouTube meets virtual human docs and there will also be an aspect of virtual reality.”
Leslie Saxon, Professor of Clinical Medicine
Technology has indeed had a significant impact on the
healthcare sector. Throughout the last couple of decades, especially with the advancements in technology, the healthcare industry has undergone an enormous revolution for the betterment of the entire world. Now, the primary question that comes to many minds is what the future holds for this technology-powered digital health industry or, say, the digital health market.
Today, while digital health trends such as IoT, virtual reality surgical training, and telehealth are on the rise, the future is predicted to attract more and more investments in such trends to enhance global health equity.
Current and future healthcare market trends are the primary forces behind making healthcare more affordable and accessible for all. So let’s dig a bit deeper into these hot healthcare trends and explore the importance of
technology in healthcare.
The Three Biggest Trends in the Digital Health Market
Did you experience a massive disruption in the healthcare industry in the last couple of years? Well, the main trigger behind this was the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the entire world to change. With the increasing demand for advanced and effective healthcare solutions, the pandemic emphasized the importance of technology in healthcare and compelled the market to invest more and more in innovations.
Read on to discover the most impactful and prominent trends in the digital health market that have recently gained tremendous momentum and are all set to redefine the future of the digital health industry.
Medicine and Internet of Things (IoT) in Digital Health Services
The
Internet of Things is one of the hottest buzzes in the technology universe. It enables the exchange of data and connections through different systems and devices with the help of the internet. The use of multiple technologies, sensors, and software programs, creates a network of physical objects at your convenience.
It offers the following benefits to the digital health industry:
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Reduced hospital costs
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Reduced patient costs
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Enhanced convenience
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Remote health monitoring
The applications of IoT in the digital health market are outstanding. For example, smart inhalers are gaining a significant reputation lately. This device uses
machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to track patient usage through a mobile application. The digital healthcare market is transforming greatly with Medical IoT by offering patients an improved experience with digital medical devices like integrated apps, monitors, wearables, and more.
Telehealth or Telemedicine — One of the Hottest Healthcare Market Trends
The efficient delivery of a wide range of digital health services through devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, computers, etc. is called telemedicine. The pandemic gave rise to social distancing, and remote patient visits are now necessary. To pivot in the best way, the digital health market counts on telemedicine to expand its healthcare access to more and more people.
Here are the primary benefits of telehealth or telemarketing that confirm why it matters now and in the future:
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Seamless care with continuity
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Urgent response to non-covid 19 medical conditions
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Improved healthcare access to medically vulnerable patients
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Enhanced social distancing
Currently, the COVID-19 vaccine has been widely rolled out in almost every country. The trend of telemedicine has been here to stay for a long time. According to the data from Fortune Business studies, the telemedicine market is expected to reach over $185 billion in the next five years.
Wellness Mobile Applications
The entire world got sucked into a lockdown during the novel coronavirus outbreak, and that caused unpredicted mental health challenges for people everywhere. As a result, a significant surge has been seen in the use of mindfulness and meditation apps such as Calm, Liberate, Headspace, MyLife Meditation, Breathe, Inside Timer, etc. For example, according to the data from the NY Times, around 10 million new users downloaded the Calm app in the last couple of years, and the company raised its valuation to a whopping $2 billion from $75 million.
The following are the primary benefits of such wellness apps:
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Reduced expenses
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Customized digital health services
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Improved job satisfaction
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Reduced mental health issues
Conclusion
We already had the technology that drove these futuristic trends in the digital health market. However, it took a massive pandemic to make the world realize the importance of technology in healthcare. Nevertheless, the increasing health technology funding and investment activities across the healthcare industry clearly show that the digital health sector now takes technological advancements and innovations very seriously.
Value-based care is the right step towards quality-focused care. Value is measured by either improvement in (1) quality of life or (2) length of life for the patient. The individual patient’s perception of these two measures is a major factor in the determinant of value, allowing the patient to be a vital member of the care team. Therefore, the success of value-based care depends on doctor-patient communication.”
Dr. Simon Lorenz, Co-Founder of Klara
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the major challenges within the digital health market?
Even though the digital health market is all set to boost patient empowerment and better healthcare services across all its branches, you need to eliminate the three significant challenges to embrace technology in healthcare. Those are,
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Digital user experience
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Data processing
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Cybersecurity
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Hesitation to take risks
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Data security and data privacy
Which parts of the healthcare system will benefit from digital health services?
Adopting digital health services is not just an option anymore! It is a need of the hour, and this fact is fueling the investment in the digital health market. It is wise to invest in this miraculous trend as it, directly and indirectly, benefits almost all associated sectors including,
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Patients
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Healthcare providers
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Pharmaceutical sector
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Financial institutions
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Insurers
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Regulatory bodies
Which are the top mobile healthcare apps for patients?
It is often overwhelming to separate the best from the rest with so many options out there. To ease this process down, we have compiled the best healthcare apps for patients:
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My Fitness Pal
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Apple Health
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Eyecare Live
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Medical ID
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WebMD Buddy
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Dminder
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Diabetes: M