Pradeep Kumar Jain, Associate Principal-Healthcare, Tredence talks about the transformation of healthcare sector towards a proactive care model
Post-COVID, healthcare IT will experience a massive transformation. There were many disparities in healthcare in the past, but the pandemic has exposed these shortcomings. Traditional healthcare, for example, used to be reactive. It was either plan- or premium-centric, despite many believing it to be patient-centered. When people in need of immediate medical attention raced to hospitals, the healthcare infrastructure momentarily collapsed. As a result, resources were depleted, and supply chain problems surfaced. Fortunately, there may be better news ahead in 2022.
Shifting from a reactive to a proactive healthcare model
Today, healthcare is increasingly transitioning toward a proactive care model. The cloud, analytics platforms, and data management have all become more crucial. The shift powered by these technologies has resulted in the emergence of new industries, such as the $1.5 trillion wellness sector, according to McKinsey. This is only the tip of the iceberg. The importance of innovative technologies, platforms, and solutions for proactive care management is growing. Likewise, physicians have also realised that a reactive strategy no longer works after seeing firsthand how supplies, ventilators, oxygen, and beds ran out during the pandemic. They, too, were victims of a reactive healthcare model.
To accelerate the transition, hospitals and care providers must concentrate on three key healthcare IT enablers to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of medical care delivery.
Healthcare IT trends in 2022 and beyond
Cloud computing will shape the future of healthcare
While medical experts and researchers quickly developed effective COVID-19 vaccines, their availability at the right place, at the right time, and for the appropriate number of individuals would not have been conceivable without cloud technology. Organisations across the globe are assisting nations in reaching and vaccinating their citizens more quickly by managing hybrid-cloud ecosystems and multi-cloud deployments.
Despite the sudden spike in the popularity of cloud technologies, many healthcare providers have been sluggish to adopt them because of their closed system. On the contrary, they should accelerate adoption like their counterparts in the retail, manufacturing, and CPG industries have done.
Cloud technology offers collaboration, accessibility, security, and efficiency. In fact, the benefits of cloud computing in healthcare have increased manifold, thanks to the availability of cloud ecosystems that are HIPAA-compliant and have a high level of trust.
Healthcare platform modernisation solves technology fatigue
While attempting to meet growing regulatory and compliance demands, the healthcare industry has long relied on various platforms and solutions to carry out its operations. For example, the industry has access to multiple systems from different vendors, such as workflow management systems, risk stratification software, and performance dashboards, among other tools. Unfortunately, such technology systems are not sustainable since platform fatigue often sets in. This also occurs because of poorly integrated monolithic and siloed healthcare systems, traditional communication processes, lack of standardised workflows, and poor compliance levels.
Providers are also beginning to understand and embrace analytics, particularly AI and machine learning, to revamp their platforms. They are using it for several use cases, such as risk-stratification, and identifying members for telehealth services and wellness programs, among other effective practices.
Health data management will be key for the consumer-driven healthcare revolution
Hospitals and health systems have mines of data, such as claims, eligibility, finance, and electronic medical records (EMRs). However, they must collect this data and use it to harness new capabilities to enhance patient health outcomes. For example, a patient with a specific chronic illness often approaches the disease’s state from a limited perspective. There can be a variety of underlying causes that might exacerbate the condition. Today, there is a need for a system that can help physicians create a continuum of treatment that addresses all conditions at once, rather than one at a time.
Furthermore, healthcare data is retained in strict confidentiality. Facilities don’t even allow third-party sites to use their APIs. As a result, getting these platforms to interact with one another can be a nightmare for the CIO or CTO when many platforms are involved. A simplified, streamlined system will lead to a revolution in healthcare.
Looking ahead in 2022
Cloud computing, platform modernisation, and data disparity resolution are just a few examples of where healthcare IT is headed in 2022. Healthcare providers must begin by finding the right partner, rather than using individual platform vendors to reach their goals. In addition, leaders must also reform so that they can fully utilise IT. The will and support of healthcare leaders around the globe will be critical to revamping the healthcare systems in the post-pandemic era.