The healthcare industry is no stranger to digitization. In fact, nearly half (46%) of all U.S. consumers now engage with their healthcare providers using patient portals and telehealth appointments in addition to in-person visits.
And healthcare leaders are continuing to deepen their investments in the digital space.
If your organization is on the fence about adopting these new systems, it’s time to get on board or get left behind.
Today, we’re looking at healthcare industry digital transformation. What’s driving it, and what do leaders need to know to succeed?
The Goal of Healthcare Industry Digital Transformation
While there’s a growing list of technologies shaping this digital movement, the overarching goal is simple: Integration and automation across all areas impacting the patient experience.
Healthcare organizations are leveraging digital tools to connect all aspects of their business, from initial patient engagement to post-treatment follow-up. When operational functions are integrated with clinical ones, organizations can improve the patient experience, along with health outcomes.
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Top 5 Healthcare Tech Use Cases
With so many healthcare technologies on the market, how can you determine which ones are best suited for your medical facility?
While this answer will look different for every company, it helps to know the top trends that are shaping this movement. Chief among these is artificial intelligence (AI).
Here are a few ways in which digital technology is redefining the healthcare realm as we once knew it.
1. Diagnostics and Treatments
Today, physicians can use AI-powered tools to more accurately analyze patient images, such as X-rays and MRIs. With this more refined knowledge, it becomes easier to identify conditions and diseases, as well as plan treatments. AI algorithms can pick up details that even the best-trained human might miss.
At the same time, however, AI often doesn’t know when it has provided incorrect information, so as with any automation, human expertise is an essential component of success.
2. Prescription Management
When determining what prescription to give a patient, physicians must know exactly how the drugs will interact, as well as any potential side effects they may cause.
Now, physicians can use AI in ERP or AI in EHR software to examine this data in a matter of seconds. They can also predict which specific drug compounds are best combined to treat certain conditions.
3. Predictive Health Analysis
According to one report, nearly four in five office-based physicians (78%) and almost all non-federal acute care hospitals (96%) have adopted some type of electronic health record (EHR) system.
Now, AI-driven predictive analysis is making EHRs even more intelligent.
For example, AI can analyze EHR data and other relevant patient data to predict whether a patient is at risk of developing a certain health condition. This means doctors can intervene earlier and allocate their resources more effectively.
4. Patient Assistance
Not too long ago, if a patient wanted access to their medical records, they’d have to call their physician’s office, get re-routed to a few different parties, and eventually drive to the location to obtain a physical copy of their chart.
Now, nearly all these records have gone digital, making it easier for patients to instantly access the information they need.
In addition, patients can use virtual assistants and chatbots to perform tasks such as:
- Schedule an appointment
- View appointment notes
- Ask questions about symptoms
These tools are reducing the burden on in-office staff and improving the patient experience.
5. Task Automation
With enterprise software already in place at many healthcare organizations, task automation isn’t anything new. However, AI is making this software even smarter.
Office members can use AI-driven ERP software to automate administrative tasks, such as insurance claim processing and appointment scheduling.
Risk and Challenges
The potential benefits of digital tech in healthcare are easy to see. However, these applications aren’t without their challenges.
As we look ahead, here are some of the most important considerations to keep in mind:
- Ensuring patient data privacy and security
- Maintaining system interoperability
- Correctly interpreting AI-driven data
- Eliminating bias in the data
- Navigating the lack of clear regulations and guidelines for using AI in healthcare
Healthcare leaders may also experience internal conflicts, such as resistance to change. By prioritizing organizational change management, healthcare companies can help their teams adopt new systems and processes.
These are not the only challenges you may face. Our Software Expert Witness team has seen a multitude of technology, data, and project management issues catch companies off guard. If you’re in the healthcare industry, be sure your team knows what issues may be lurking underneath the surface.
But enough gloom and doom . . .
The Bright Future of Digital Tech in Healthcare
Across all industries, digital transformation can help bridge the digital and physical worlds. In the healthcare industry, intelligent automation is making healthcare business processes more efficient.
To be successful in this space, companies must think of digital transformation as a continuous process. It isn’t a one-off project or a flash in the pan. It’s a living, adapting strategy that will grow and scale with each business.
Our enterprise software consultants help forward-thinking healthcare organizations explore opportunities for improvement within their current systems and data. Our team knows that new technology only works when the organization fully understands its current state and its business needs.
Request a free consultation below to tell us what you’d like your systems and data to do for you that they aren’t currently doing.
