How the Healthcare Sector is Embracing the Transition to Mobile Technology

The growth and transformation in the healthcare sector today is being fueled by demographic and environmental factors, let alone the technological advancements. The changing lifestyles, urbanization, and digitalization have put forth new opportunities for healthcare sector to enhance patient experience and engagement. In that sense, the mobile technologies are on the rise with emerging trends like mHealth, IoMT, and mobile apps penetrating the care continuum predominantly and these trends are expected to increase further in the coming years.

No doubt, technology is transforming the way organizations operate and people are more and more engaged in using technology and mobile solutions for their diverse needs. While so many industries are adopting mobile technology into their operations, the healthcare industry is no exception to this trend. Everything from improved operational efficiency to high standards in healthcare is impacted by the use of mobile solutions.

The Indian healthcare sector that has been witnessing a boom in the recent years has also recognized the potential of the mobile technology, particularly the benefits associated with the mobile technological solutions in the healthcare sector. So far, the innovation and widespread adoption of mobile solutions in the Indian healthcare domain have been lagging behind when compared to other industries. But now, with the changing trends of patient attitude, it has become the need for the healthcare industry to adopt mobile technologies at a rate faster than ever before.

Various Forms of Mobile Technology in the Healthcare Space

Today, mobile technology in healthcare is serving to transform the sector to a greater extent, enhancing the entire healthcare experience for both medical professionals and patients equally. As per the statistics known, the global healthcare mobility solutions market in India is predicted to experience rapid growth with an annual rate of 28.3% by 2022. The increasing use of mobile solutions in healthcare operations helps to ensure security, productivity, and mobility of services within and outside the healthcare domain. As a result, the majority of healthcare organizations today have already started using such mobile solutions, recognizing the numerous advantages it could bring.

Mobile software applications, commonly known as the mobile apps, are the key to improve overall healthcare experience and data accessibility for both patients and health professionals. Mobile apps are designed to enable people to manage their health and wellbeing easily and effortlessly. Everything from tracking vital signs and prompting for upcoming checkups to finding general medical information or expert consultation online can be done at the fingertips using these apps. Moreover, mobile apps with access to health data or EHR enable patients to access their test results securely, anytime, online, without having to make an appointment or waiting for days for getting the diagnostic results. On the other hand, healthcare professionals can quickly access medical information of the patients relating to their diseases and drugs, and also get clinical suggestions/consultations from specialists in complicated cases. Modern educational apps can also help healthcare professionals to keep up-to-date with the industry happenings and engage in continued education activities.

Besides, the emergence of Telemedicine/Telehealth services today has introduced cost-effective ways to complement local healthcare services through video-conferencing and other technical means. With Teleconsultation, medical professionals can handle cases from any location, while a specialist can provide assistance and training virtually. The use of telemedicine has been beneficial particularly for those requiring regular access to medical specialists but living in rural, regional and remote communities.

Mobile technological innovations in healthcare can facilitate smoother communication between healthcare organizations and medical professionals by using media platforms for online discussions and real-time meeting capacities within the care continuum. The use of in-house Electronic medical records or EHR can enhance healthcare services, when made accessible to all relevant departments and internal care providers. Effective use of mobile technology results in improved health management, treatments, and patient recovery.

Embracing the Transition

The fast-paced nature of mobile technological innovation in healthcare, coupled with rapid data proliferation driven by the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has led the industry into a new phase of growth and development. As a result, hospitals and healthcare organizations need to review and refresh their existing strategies to meet the latest trends and demands in order to embrace the change.

For making the use of mobile technology a success, it is necessary for healthcare organizations to build, manage, and maintain a secure and agile IT strategy by choosing trusted devices and integrating bespoken security solutions handled at a network level. In that sense, security is the most pressing concern among healthcare organizations right now.

The increased accessibility and storage of Big Data has paved way for unrelenting threats to security, which require the healthcare organizations to ensure efficient, productive, and secure internet/intranet systems within the care continuum. Efficient and secure IT infrastructure has become extremely integral to healthcare operations today as the remote working and the ever-multiplying Big Data swathes are increasing the exposure of sensitive health data. Thus, as you can see, the positive impact of mobile technology in healthcare is increasing by the day and hospitals are bringing in the digital transition experience for patients and healthcare professionals alike, promising a higher caliber of care across the continuum. Therefore, embracing mobile healthcare services can facilitate improved operational efficiency, easier collaboration, and an integrated approach to patient care that brings better patient outcomes at reduced costs.