2021 HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
There will not be another year that influenced the healthcare sector like 2020. The unprecedented turn of events in the world caused the healthcare sector to adapt to changes. In the 2020 after the COVID 19 pandemic disrupted the activities of the healthcare sector, technology became very efficient. Thus, the healthcare industry relied on the use of big data, and remote technologies to measure its activities and output. This is greatly seen in how IT has become a very important part of the industry. The technological companies, on the other hand, are developing more solutions for the healthcare organizations.
The healthcare technology reveals the need for digital solutions and means to unlock great value that is significantly associated with digital health trends. Technology co0mpanies came up with a solution that was regarded as the ‘on-demand economy’. This was designed to meet the demand for products and services. This invention changed the way the workplace operated. On one hand, the workforce benefit immensely from its development as it helped in the creation of jobs and encouraged employment. Innovations that were birthed from the on-demand economy also influenced the healthcare sector. It was instrumental in addressing the issues that were associated with reduced number of patients, and the development of payment solutions.
During the pandemic, it became obvious that there were many weaknesses in the healthcare industry. A major part of this problem was staffing. As such, efforts have seen been concentrated on how to increase the staffing needs of the healthcare industry and meet the demands of the population. Thus, healthcare organizations that do not have the ability to find doctors and other healthcare practitioners in crisis moments were affected during the pandemic.
Telemedicine is regarded as the simplest form of healthcare technology trend. This means that it is no longer necessary for patients to make use of an emergency room or a hospital to get in touch with a medical practitioner or make consultations. A more defined way will be teleconsultation. Prior to the pandemic, teleconsultaion was not accepted as patients preferred to have a one-on-one consultation with their medical practitioners but in the context of 2020, it became a necessity for survival. In the early days of the pandemic, patients were restricted from visiting the hospitals especially those with chronic health issues. This restriction prompted the accepted of telemedicine as an alternative medical device. Some of the healthcare technology trends in 2021 are:
Cyber security: Hackers are always concentrating efforts in attacking healthcare infrastructure. The COVID 19 vaccine has been repeatedly exposed to malicious attacks by these hackers. Various reports were givsen by Pfizer, and BioNTech as hackers attempted attacking the vaccine. Several hospitals in the United States were affected by these attacks and this caused the healthcare industry to become more conscious about cybersecurity. It is now clear that cybersecurity is the most encouraged healthcare trends in 2021. Several attacks have encouraged the need for the industry to invest in cybersecurity. It is no surprise that a push towards a digital industry will need a reliable security infrastructure to protect it. As such, cybersecurity firms are most likely going to receive an increase request for cybersecurity in the healthcare industry.
Internet of Medical Things (IoMT): This is the most common techno logy trend to predict in 2021. Devices that constitute IoMT will contribute positively towards solving the problems of the healthcare industry. This technology trend is essential in saving money for the industry. A good example is telemedicine. This technology trend is useful in saving money and eliminating all unnecessary consultation at the hospitals. It also requires cutting down the costs that is related to infrastructure and time. This trend will also increase operational activities in the sector. Keeping tracks of the healthcare administration will fight the presence of counterfeit drugs and create an efficient administration. IoMT are the most important in taking care of the health needs of people. It also encourages the presence of healthcare in remote areas that are unable to provide access to full-time hospitals. In this way, they introduce consultations to patients home which is helpful for people who have limited mobility. Point-of-care devices can also conduct regular test and the result will be shared remotely.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR): These technology trend play an important role in the healthcare technology trend of 2021. This is significant in the training of surgeons. Virtual Reality allows medical practitioners to practice their skills without having a physical presence in the hospital. During the pandemic, there was a critical need for more hands to work in the intensive care units. As such, people were trained to make use of PPE and ventilators. The VR has also been proven to be efficient in training healthcare workers and its applications is beneficial in healthcare.
Big data: This is perceived to be the most important healthcare technology trend in 2021. It is a suitable means of capturing clinical data. A good example is wearable technology. This has greatly influenced the recording of continuous data at a moderate cost. It has also shown how beneficial the big data is in the healthcare industry. The most important use of big data was to predict the spike of the virus and contain outbreaks. It was also instrumental in creating vaccination strategies. In fact, the healthcare industry will not be able to move away from the use of this technology trend anytime soon.
The events of 2020 necessitated technological innovations that will contribute immensely to the operations of the healthcare industry. All the technology trends have been useful and beneficial to the growth of the sector. In 2021, there have been lots of healthcare technology trends which are still evolving with each passing day. Another trend that has played a huge role in the sector is the development of applications on mobile devices. This will further aid the ability of individuals to access medical services at their convenience. 2021 technology healthcare trends were necessitated by the events of 2020.
