Wait a minute. It almost doesn't matter which it is because it is coming. Digital Transformation in Healthcare is here. Happy about it or not, Digital Transformation is coming at us like a freight train, and it will turn Healthcare on its head. But to know if it's a blessing or a curse, let's look a little deeper at the Healthcare Industry. Most of us might be familiar with Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), but this transformation will be light years ahead. This transformation will impact all Healthcare BPO Services. Digital Transformation happens when the paper starts to turn into digital information. This could happen with an automatic transformation, or paper information like records and forms, and billing codes are manually entered into a vast database of medical records. But that's just the beginning.
Surgery
Virtual reality in surgery has gained tremendous popularity among surgeons. The surgery is performed by a robotic device, which a human surgeon controls. This method reduces the time and risk associated with surgical complications. VR plays a significant role in telesurgery, which is performed by the surgeon on a patient at a different location.
Diagnostics
VR is used as a diagnostic tool so physicians can accurately diagnose. In concert with other methods, such as MRI/CT scans, it eliminates invasive techniques, making it pain-free.
Human Simulation
VR allows physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals to interact with others in their field and interact with a patient. This immersive experience determines the participant's emotions using a series of sensors.
Virtual Clinics
VR allows a virtual physician to visit practically anywhere, any time, as long as the patient is at a facility with VR equipment.
Medical Conferences
VR will allow virtual visits to lectures and conferences and actual attendees the opportunity for a 3-D experience of the presentation subject.
Healthcare and Virtual Reality? The Future.
The future of Virtual Reality in healthcare is exciting and full of possibilities. But the obstacles are also significant and intimidating. To realize the future in its most productive incarnation, there needs to be a tighter relationship between the Healthcare Provider and the engineers and designers that create the hardware and software. It's already a high-tech collaboration that will need to become more intense and intimate to achieve all possibilities.
How can outsourcing the tech side of these resources help make it happen? Business Process Outsourcers can offer designers and engineers the opportunity to collaborate with medical practitioners. BPOs have the resources to partner with the medical field to make the future of VR in healthcare happen.
The Journey Of Digital Transformation In The Healthcare
At the end of this journey, which is in sight, is a seamless digital joining of all a patient's medical records, the increasing use of AI in surgery, hands-free note taking for healthcare workers, robotic surgery, and much more. This won't come about without some pain, not physical pain, but almost any transition can mean turmoil.
1. Push for Change
Clinicians bear the burden of digital transformation. Thought leaders can change this by collaborating with clinicians to choose the right digital tools that will save time, serve patients better, and fit into the existing workflow.
Since the decision-makers are pushing for the digital transition, they have the most to gain at this stage. Thus, they need to fight the resistance to the transition. How? Include the frontline healthcare workers in the process from the beginning. As different systems come online, get their feedback, and make changes if needed.
2. Make the Right Offer
Incentives will go a long way toward overcoming resistance. Increasing payments for transitioning to digital could help the movement. Offering healthcare workers more financial incentives to make that digital transition will have significant results. If handled correctly, going “all digital” might enhance a clinician's reputation. Whatever combination of actions is used, any action is better than none.
3. The Transition Will Continue
As mentioned earlier, it is a journey. Part of making all stakeholders partners in this journey is transparency about the details. Make sure that the healthcare givers know that the process doesn't end when the first digital equipment is up and running.
This transformation will not happen organically. We need structure in place to build better communication about the transformation. “Give us the tools” is a common cry across many sectors in many businesses. What they're really saying is, “give us the tools that work for us.” Meeting the goal of adding digital tools to the Healthcare System is excellent only if the people using the tools think they're working for them.
So, what's the best path for this transformation? Is there a keynote speaker that can get everyone on board with this new idea? Do you break it down to individuals and solicit their feedback? As we've seen, communication is the key.
Digital Transformation Trends In The Healthcare Industry
What are the latest trends? What does the future hold? Here's a peek.
Blockchain Tech
An advanced database mechanism that allows transparent information sharing within a business network. Blockchain technology provides a secure framework to generate and store data. A blockchain database stores data in blocks linked together in a chain. Information cannot be altered or removed from a blockchain, and every transaction is recorded chronologically, adding to system security.
Cloud Computing
The terabytes of data must be stored somewhere securely. So, you don't spend millions of dollars on massive data storage systems; take advantage of the Cloud, which eliminates the need for massive servers and maintenance. Without servers, data storage lets you shed an army of IT specialists. You get more bang for the buck, and it also translates into significant budget savings that make everyone happy.
Machine Learning
AI and Machine Learning can predict how patients with certain conditions react to different drugs and treatments. AI analyzes vast amounts of data and identifies patterns to help physicians understand how to improve treatment plans. New drug development and testing for effectiveness can be accomplished easier and quicker.
Personalization
Above any other field, medicine should be customer-centric. Ask anyone that is hospitalized or seeing a doctor, and likely as not, they will complain about not having enough time with their healthcare provider. AI can not only allow a physician to spend more time with a patient, but it can also provide the means of truly individualized care. AI can tell us if a patient needs different treatment based on their genetic markers.
Digital Twins
Your “digital twin” is a computer model of your physiology used to collect data, prevent diseases, and offer a more personalized treatment plan. These models allow medical professionals in research to test new drugs and devices. The twin can also be used to gauge the efficacy of any current treatments.
Digital Transformation Benefits For Healthcare Industry
Time Management
Health care providers have constantly been challenged with managing time effectively. In this new digital age, providers can use data and analytics to understand their time use better and make adjustments. Workflow and its management are crucial in healthcare, and a digital process is critical to efficiency.
Reliable Communication
Another crucial element in today's healthcare universe is communication. With multiple channels available, managing conversations, ordering procedures, or medication is almost foolproof—no more lost or misplaced paper notes.
Improved And Accurate Healthcare Services
Digital transformation has improved the quality and accuracy of delivering quality healthcare in the proper form to the right patient. The result is more effective patient care and more time saved for the healthcare provider.
Improved Data Management
The massive volume of patient data that hospitals have to deal with on a daily basis is more than just a challenge! And the infrastructure required to keep the information flowing is expensive and sometimes complicated. This means a large amount of capital needs to be available for purchase, training, and maintenance. And all of this data and its access needs to be HIPPA compliant.
Instant Help for Patients
Now that our current technologies usually provide patients with access to healthcare from anywhere or anytime, the response needs to be up to the challenge. The patients have the means to ask for help; the healthcare industry needs to be able to respond.
Enhanced Communication
Physicians can now collaborate with colleagues at almost any time. While being available may be a better situation for some healthcare professionals who want a personal life, it offers the option of consulting in critical healthcare events.
Reduced Costs
While the front-end costs can be huge, the overall cost of this new healthcare is much lower than a non-digital workflow. Staffing costs can be reduced, supply levels can be predicted more efficiently, and costly human errors can be slashed.
Preserving Crucial Data
By using Cloud storage for data, hospitals and physicians can eliminate the vast data storage expenses of the past. Remember, those costs include purchasing hardware and software, training, and maintenance. Using the Cloud effectively cuts those costs.
Challenges In Digital Transformation
Security Risks
As recent history has shown us, no digital network is entirely bullet-proof. Financial institutions, State government systems, and big businesses are routinely hacked, sometimes with disastrous results. Healthcare digital systems are as safe as any other extensive tech operations, and security is overall excellent. But the chance always exists. The important thing is how you react to a breach.
Interoperability
Improving the interoperability between different systems and devices is a chief goal of digital transformation. Significant advances have been made since it has become possible for these devices to even talk to each other, and further compatibility lies ahead.
Change Management
The term “digital revolution” should not be taken lightly. Because it is a revolution, and pain and changes will accompany it. Changes in ways we don't even know about. Transitioning to the future can be messy, upsetting, and sometimes dangerous. But the outcome will be worth it.
How Do We Get There?
Like any journey, your digital transformation will require a guide, not just a guidebook. You can save a lot of pain and money when you partner with an experienced Business Process Outsource professional. Not only does Rely Services have decades of experience, but they're also dedicated to producing quality results for their customers. Don't let this valuable resource slip through your grasp. Call today!
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