In the last few years, technology has been changing rapidly, and this has especially impacted the healthcare industry. With older technologies such as telehealth to newer tech like IoT (the Internet of Things), these changes are affecting both providers and patients.

Anytime there is a massive tech shift, the age-old question is, “how will it affect the human workforce?” For the healthcare industry, how will technology change the jobs of providers and the patient experience?

The Top Tech Trends Influencing the Healthcare Industry

IoT: The Ability to Analyze Every Aspect of a Patient’s Life

The Internet of Things (IoT) has become a tech industry driver. IoT is the name for the network of devices (phones, tablets, cars, machines, and appliances) that are connected via an IP address and internet connection.

IoT devices promise personalized healthcare that could track “every aspect of a patient’s life.” For example, “cell phones [could] analyze shifting speech patterns to diagnose Alzheimer’s.” This technology could catch diseases and health concerns faster than in the past. It also provides an unbiased view of a patient’s health condition, independent of their self-assessment and the assessment of others around them. Thus, IoT could create a situation where, “illnesses could be treated sooner and more effectively, which would provide better outcomes for patients’ health and their checkbooks.”

However, this constant monitoring could cause patients to worry unnecessarily about device findings. The unnecessary worry IoT could create may further drive the “internet MD” effect. This could, in turn, cause providers to spend more time responding to patient concerns that are unfounded and not applicable.

Big Data

The widespread adoption of IoT will create vast amounts of healthcare-related data. This information will be able to be used to improve patient care and aid in healthcare research. However, while there will be vast amounts of data which will yield valuable insights and information, it also brings up security and privacy concerns. How would this data be protected? Also, who would have access to this data? These are questions and concerns that will have to be dealt with in the future by either corporate policy or legislation.

EHR on Smartphones

While already a reality, it will become more commonplace for patients to have their EHRs on their smartphones. This would allow any provider who cares for a patient to have access to their complete medical record, including surgeries and medications. This mobile EHR would be a huge help in preventing drug interactions and repeated tests.

While there are many positives to mobile EHRs, there are some concerns. First, device security. How could patients be sure their information is safe on their phones? Secondly, who or what (organization) would be responsible for keeping these personalized records up to date? This will require both healthcare systems and the government to establish an infrastructure and regulations to ensure this technology is implemented correctly.

Telehealth: Making the Physical PCP Unnecessary? 

Telehealth has been around for a while, but until recently wasn’t utilized much past concepts and trials. Now telehealth is emerging in the market and changing the face of primary care. With telehealth, patients will be able to seek care outside the confines of a PCP’s office. This is also occurring at a time when the number of PCPs is declining.

However, while telehealth has its advantages, completely severing the in-person interaction between patient and provider isn’t always a wise idea. For example, patients may feel less likely to be open and honest when staring at an iPad screen. Secondly, some issues and ailments still require a physical touch or need to be viewed with the naked eye such as rashes, bumps or lumps. Going forward, these limitations of the telehealth exam will have to be evaluated and new technology possibly created to minimize their impact.

Moving Forward With Technology

The intersection between technology and healthcare will only grow in the coming years. Thus, it is essential to evaluate its impact on providers and patients. In 2018, IoT, Big Data, mobile EHRs, and Telehealth are technologies that are changing the healthcare system. While all these technologies are still in the early stages, they indeed will grow in influence over the next few years.

Does the intersection of healthcare and technology interest you? Are you a provider looking for new exciting opportunities? If so, contact the experts at National Recruiters. National Recruiters is the leading healthcare recruitment firm for medical providers. We work with our candidates to place them in roles that will challenge and further expand their skills. Contact our healthcare recruiters today to learn more!