Study Examines Impact of Higher Medicare Eligibility Age

Health care spending for some services dropped by nearly a third when people turned 65 and switched from private insurance to Medicare, according to a recent study. The decline was driven by lower prices paid by the Medicare program to doctors and other providers rather than a drop-off in the volume of services seniors receive. The study offers a preview of the potential impact of raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 from the current 65, said Jacob Wallace, a doctoral candidate in health policy at Harvard University who coauthored the study, which was published in the May issue of Health Affairs.

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Health Technology

Transforming Patient Records: Impact of Top 10 EHR Tools

Article | September 12, 2023

Delve into the EHR tools reshaping the healthcare industry for an efficient and patient-centric future. Unlock streamlined workflows and data-driven decision-making through these EHR software tools. Adopting an EHR tool has become crucial for clinics and healthcare providers striving to revolutionize their operations and deliver a high standard of care. These innovative EHR software tools possess the potential to transform healthcare workflows, enabling clinics to optimize processes, streamline operations, and provide an exceptional level of care to patients. From facilitating seamless communication and improving operational efficiency to enhancing patient satisfaction, EHR tools unlock possibilities for improved operations, accurate claims processing, and enhanced financial management within practices. This article explores the top 10 electronic health record tools that are reshaping the healthcare industry and paving the way for a more efficient and patient-centric future. 1. Avalon EHR It is an EHR evaluation tool that prioritizes robust physician-patient engagement, setting it apart from complex electronic health record (EHR) systems. With an unwavering focus on reliability and security, Avalon offers a cutting-edge solution for the future of healthcare. Its key features include CureMD's clinical overview, which presents alarms, trends, and patient histories on a single screen, ensuring comprehensive insights. The platform also boasts a specialized rheumatology section with templates for typical symptoms, simplifying documentation processes. Furthermore, Avalon provides regular updates for various medical specialties following CPT and ICD codes, ensuring compliance, proper medical procedures, and diagnosis recording. Notably, it supports automated overnight transcription of dictations into templates, significantly reducing the time and billing service partners' costs associated with finding and documenting clinical findings. 2. AdvancedBiller The AdvancedBiller Grow program offers medical billing companies a comprehensive and advantageous solution, combining industry-leading software solutions with exclusive partner benefits. This program is designed to drive optimal outcomes by providing a unified practice management workflow, excellent support, free promotional opportunities, and competitive, scalable pricing. With a focus on boosting performance and profitability, AdvancedBiller equips businesses with the necessary tools to excel in their field. The program features custom health plans that assist doctors in managing individual patient needs based on age, sex, and lab findings. Additionally, it offers customizable note-taking templates to align with specific workflows and preferences. This EHR tool also facilitates telemedicine appointments, enabling patients to communicate face-to-face with their doctors and receive important notifications. Furthermore, the program enhances data management by allowing doctors to save sensitive information and screenshots during conference calls securely. By leveraging the AdvancedBiller Grow program, medical billing companies can optimize operations, deliver superior care, and achieve notable success. 3. Halemind EHR integration tools, such as Halemind, present a game-changing solution that enables clinics to elevate their operations and provide superior patient care. This comprehensive platform offers many features, including appointment scheduling, patient registrations, check-ins, consultations, prescriptions, billing, and reporting, all aimed at delivering a seamless customer experience. With Halemind, clinics can transform their business and scale up their operations. The platform also provides specialized functionalities for pharmacies, allowing real-time access to customer histories, order tracking, invoicing, and supplier management. In addition, hospitals can benefit from Halemind's capabilities, such as operations planning, invoicing, payment collection, patient sample tracking, and customizable data display. Medical facilities can further enhance their efficiency by utilizing its in-patient module for managing wards, rooms, and beds and generating discharge reports. 4. SIMPLEX HIMES Patient Portal SIMPLEX HIMES software incorporates an optional yet powerful feature, the Patient Portal and Mobile Application, designed to revolutionize patient engagement and communication. This EHR tool seamlessly integrates with existing websites, providing healthcare facilities with a comprehensive EHR tool to enhance the patient experience. The Patient Portal enables efficient control of patient intake, bed availability monitoring, operating room scheduling, and centralized patient demographic management within hospitals. The software streamlines operations for pathology labs by managing information about referral laboratories, generating barcodes for sample tracing, and delivering timely test result alerts via email or text. Additionally, patients benefit from self-service portals, empowering them to conveniently schedule appointments, access medical records, locate service provider locations, and communicate with their doctors. 5. Patient Engagement The Patient Engagement tool offers patients unparalleled access to their personal health information, visit summaries, and lab results, empowering them to take an active role in their healthcare journey. With the help of this EHR tool, patients can conveniently book appointments online using the healow Open Access feature, efficiently manage their medications, and engage in secure messaging with their healthcare providers. In addition, the eCW software utilized within the tool provides organized data capture, trend analysis, and customizable documentation options for various healthcare specialties. Clinicians can effortlessly retrieve any aspect of the patient record through the Patient Hub, ensuring complete and efficient access to vital information. Furthermore, eClinicalWorks Version 11 introduces Eva, a computer program that assists physicians in evaluating patient records, leveraging details from the Progress Note tool and data flowsheets. This advanced functionality enhances clinical decision-making and promotes efficient patient care. 6. Electronic Prescription The Electronic Prescription tool revolutionizes prescription management in the healthcare industry, offering a seamless and efficient solution for healthcare providers. This advanced software streamlines the prescription process by eliminating traditional prescription pads, enhancing convenience and accuracy. AllegianceMD, integrated within the tool, enables patients to fill out their history and demographic information online within defined clinic limits, facilitating seamless integration of patient information. This EHR tool encompasses a range of features, including an active/inactive medicine list, e-refill requests, an allergy list, and comprehensive drug interaction checks. The software also includes a lab module for efficiently tracking test results and follow-ups. With its extended functionalities, the Electronic Prescription tool elevates prescription management, promoting patient safety and enhancing workflow efficiency for healthcare providers. 7. Telehealth WRS Health Telehealth offers healthcare providers and patients a secure and reliable virtual care experience. With seamless integration into the electronic health record (EHR), this comprehensive telehealth platform provides a single platform for managing virtual patient encounters. Designed with ease of use in mind, both patients and providers can navigate the user-friendly interface effortlessly. This EHR comparison tool is a safe alternative to in-office visits, offering private and secure online consultations that comply with HIPAA regulations. This telehealth solution ensures a smooth and efficient workflow with its seamless integration of clinical and revenue cycle management (RCM) functionalities. 8. Practice Management for Billing Companies The Practice Management tool offered by SequelMed is a comprehensive solution that streamlines operations and enhances efficiency in healthcare practices. This advanced tool automates various tasks, including billing, claim processing, revenue management & clinical procedures, and generates analytical reports for comprehensive insights, with the option of bundled or separate programs for electronic health records and practice management. The software provides interoperability with imaging systems and medical equipment through HL7 and DICOM interfaces, offering flexibility in deployment options with on-site or cloud hosting. In addition to its core functionalities, it enhances patient engagement with real-time communication, online patient registration, active prescription lists, immunization schedules, and a patient portal. The Practice Management Tool simplifies computerized prescription processes and promotes connectivity across healthcare systems, enabling healthcare providers to optimize their operations and deliver efficient, patient-centered care. 9. Medical Practice Management Software The Practice Management Software offers healthcare providers a powerful solution to streamline operations, ensure accurate claims processing, and expedite reimbursement cycles. With its intuitive design and comprehensive features, this software empowers practices to take control of their operations and optimize efficiency. Users can benefit from the HIPAA-compliant claims clearinghouse provided by NueMD, allowing for the seamless processing of unlimited claims. The software makes it easier to submit paper claims by reducing it to a single click, and it also simplifies payment transactions by incorporating credit card processing. Additionally, the ONC-ATCB-certified EHR enhances clinical workflow by providing charting capabilities, e-prescribing, laboratory report monitoring, and secure fax management. 10. LiquidEHR LiquidEHR is a cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) solution ideal for small and midsize optometry practices. It offers a range of features to manage medical records, scheduling, and billing effectively. The software includes specialized tools specific to optometry, such as historical IOP charts, drawing tools, built-in eye charts, frames data integration, and image management. Clinicians using LiquidEHR have access to electronic insurance filing tools, patient recalls, drug interactions and allergy checks, problem lists, medication recommendations, educational resources, vital signs monitoring, and more. The system also ensures data security through access controls, audit logs, and encryption features. Future Scope By staying informed about the top EHR tools highlighted in this article, medical practitioners can unlock streamlined workflows, improved communication, and data-driven decision-making to optimize clinical practices and deliver exceptional patient care. The future of EHR assessment tools looks promising, with emerging trends like artificial intelligence, machine learning, interoperability, and telehealth shaping the way forward. By embracing these advancements, healthcare professionals can stay ahead of the curve, maximize operational efficiency, and position themselves for success in the healthcare industry.

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Health Technology, AI

Top 10 Strategies for Healthcare Digital Marketing

Article | July 18, 2023

What is Healthcare Digital Marketing Digital marketing is a new wave in the world of healthcare marketing strategy. Using advanced technologies that use online marketing platforms such as websites, social media channels, and SEO techniques, to reach potential clients with healthcare products and services encompasses healthcare digital marketing. Digital marketing in the healthcare sector makes it easier to create, communicate, and deliver health information and make interventions regarding protecting and promoting the health of diverse populations. Strategies for Healthcare Digital Marketing There are many trending healthcare digital marketing strategies you can use beneficially in healthcare, but here are the top 10 trending strategies that can help you ensure success: Create a Wholesome Patient Experience on Your Website As part of effective healthcare digital marketing for your services, crafting a patient-focused website will help to provide a seamless experience for visitors. While it is important to create a website that you can optimize for search engines, it is also crucial to simplify the process for first-time as well as repeat visitors. Use a conversational tone and features that allow easy navigation so that patients don’t feel like they are being bombarded with medical jargon. Take a look at Mayo Clinic’s homepage. A patient's needs like online scheduling, specialist lookup, and contact information are easily available, while secondary information for those who would like to explore more before they make an appointment is below. This user-friendly healthcare digital marketing strategy will help you a lot in making visitors return to your website, and when they are looking for products and services. Employ a Responsive Web Design With more people leaving the confines of PCs to use the web easily and comfortably, ensuring that your website is responsive to various types of devices is paramount. This applies more to mobile devices because Google has introduced mobile-first indexing in September 2020. Branding Matters If you want to use healthcare digital marketing campaigns efficiently you have to identify what your organization as a brand can give patients. Even if it is healthcare, where target markets and organizational priorities are almost similar, patients need differentiating factors for each healthcare provider. If you don’t want a patient to be lost in the sea of white coats, figuring out what is special about what you can offer is crucial. Make sure your organizational goals and healthcare digital marketing goals are in sync to avoid unnecessary expenditure. Analyze your competition and let that assist you in shaping the path that your healthcare digital marketing strategy will take. You can often learn a lot from a competitor’s mistakes. Provide Blog Content That Is Optimized for SEO Symptom-related searches constitute 1% of all searches, that’s millions, on Google. Use this information to your benefit when planning your editorial calendar for blogs and include it efficiently in your healthcare digital marketing strategy. While you plan around national health observances, you can integrate long-tail keywords, provide links to reputed health sites and articles within your website, and invest in healthcare digital marketing plans. The four to five listings that show at the top of Google’s organic search results page are called the local pack—this part is vital for mobile users because it is all the screen can display before the user scrolls down. If you haven’t already, you should claim your healthcare website on Google My Business and keep it updated. Apart from this, healthcare digital content marketing plans need to be optimized for healthcare-specific SEO keywords. Supplement Blogs with Video Content With more algorithms prioritizing video content, you don’t want to be left behind without any good video content. In the healthcare industry, you have the added benefit of adding to your physician’s credibility if you create edutainment videos telling patients about their area of expertise. Healthcare video marketing can help you leverage the physicians in your organization that are authorities in their respective fields of medicine. Long and scary procedures being described by certified physicians is often reassuring for patients. Likewise, patient testimonials can pay this comforting reassurance forward, resulting in building a good reputation for your organization through similar healthcare digital marketing approaches. Take Advantage of Paid Advertising After you’ve created all this carefully crafted content that is optimized for SEO, you can’t just let it sit only on your website. Sometimes even if you maintain up-to-date business listings, Google’s local pack is overshadowed by paid ads. You have to promote it on search engines and social media platforms through pay-per-click (PPC), search, targeted, and display ads. Here you need a clear healthcare digital marketing strategy. Call-only campaigns and other ad extensions can be used to promote the services you offer as well. Leverage Social Media While organic social media campaigns are great, they can only get you so far. Using it as your only social media strategy can only give you subpar results compared to paid social campaigns. A paid social media plan is more than just clicking on ‘boost’, you have to create a strategy that suits your goals, targets the audience you need, and budgets for a specific ROI. You can create highly personalized campaigns without wasting your budget and reach the patients who are most likely to find your posts useful. It can be quite advantageous if you use healthcare social media marketing to your benefit while being tasteful in what you post. A healthcare care social media platform can be included in your healthcare digital marketing strategy. Set up an Email Strategy In healthcare, there are a few types of emails you can take advantage of, like reminders for appointments and annual physicals, seasonal tips for flu season, and announcements about new technology being used in your organization. Letting opportunities like these slip by is lost chances to keep patients engaged with your services and your patients also lose out on information that potentially could have been useful to them. Including a well-planned email marketing strategy as a part of your healthcare digital marketing plan will prevent patients from marking your email as spam and give you good open rates. Setting up free subscription-based newsletters as Johns Hopkins Medicine does allows you to prevent unnecessary unsubscribes as well. Follow-up with Patient Reviews and Feedback Word-of-mouth referrals have and always will be a part of marketing and healthcare digital marketing can help you evaluate the quality of the referrals you are getting. Patient success stories often inspire and evoke emotional responses from people, apart from serving as a way to show others the quality of the healthcare services you provide. Track Your Healthcare Digital Marketing Strategies After you’ve put all this effort into creating healthcare digital marketing strategies for email, social, and video you have to analyze where your budget is being spent the most, and whether it is reaping you the kind of benefits you are expecting. Understanding and capitalizing on patient micro-moments allows you to position your brand appropriately so that you are right there when they need your services. Measuring and studying your healthcare digital marketing conversion metrics is highly beneficial when it comes to using your resources to serve your needs best. It doesn’t hurt to track all the mediums you’re using to communicate with patients including calls that are made to your front desk. Analyzing this data can help you understand the blockers that lie in the path between a patient and doctor. A laggy scheduling system, long call-hold times, and patient misinformation are just some of the revelations this analysis can bring to light. Trends in Healthcare Digital Marketing Healthcare digital marketing plans were almost non-existent, but they slowly developed to include traditional marketing like print, direct mail, television, and radio. The limitations of these media can now be overcome with healthcare digital marketing. Doctor reviews, patient discussion forums, and physician certifications and availability are now an online search away for most patients. On-demand healthcare is becoming increasingly popular, and big data is playing a pivotal role in decreasing errors via patient record analyses and creating preventative plans for recurring emergency room patients. The future even holds possibilities for telesurgeries, telemedicine continues to grow, and virtual patient treatment and other emerging technologies are changing the landscape of healthcare digital marketing. High-risk patients are being aided by heart rate sensors, oximeters, and exercise trackers paving the way for increased investment in medical devices that can be worn. These devices give people a sense of agency when it comes to their health while creating room for gamification and considerable changes in healthcare insurance. Even with all these innovative changes, for healthcare digital marketers, one aspect will remain primary and this is the patient. Gone are the days when healthcare costs were affordable and patients were not proactive in researching which healthcare provider to choose. The modern patient has to be prudent in selecting the person responsible for improving their health, and it is your responsibility as a marketer to show them why your organization is the best. Stay updated with the latest healthcare digital marketing trends with webinars as the times are changing faster than ever. Frequently Asked Questions What is healthcare digital marketing? Marketing healthcare products and services with the use of advanced digital technologies and techniques are called healthcare digital marketing. These techniques can be Google AdWords campaigns, responsive websites, SEO tactics, mobile apps, unique landing pages, social media campaigns, and email marketing programs, and much more. Why is digital marketing important in healthcare? Healthcare providers are facing challenges everywhere, especially in marketing their products and services. So, as technology is evolving, to stay competitive and continue improving the patient experience, the healthcare industry should invest in healthcare digital marketing strategies. What is a healthcare marketing strategy? Healthcare marketing strategies support and promote the practices of healthcare providers and telemedicine providers. Healthcare digital marketing strategy includes many channels and forms to target the right patients in the right way at the right time.

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Healthtech Security

8 Trends for Healthcare in 2021

Article | August 31, 2023

Momentum in digital healthcare transformation… it’s massive, and much needed. As organizations adapt to new modes of care, demands on resources, and consumer expectations, payors and providers are eyeing opportunities to reduce costs, improve care, build awareness, and expand relationships.Here are 8 trends we’re currently tracking into 2021: TREND 1 The evolution of healthcare will be characterized by a reengineering of clinical care and operations around digital health and pervasive real-time use of data and advanced analytics.​ Gartner TREND 2 The current landscape has underscored the importance of improving workflows, achieving greater clinical efficiencies and better integrating data across organizations through tools like natural language processing, remote process automation, and cloud-based technologies. Becker’s Hospital Review TREND 3 Now more than ever, healthcare organizations must build a multi-channel digital experience portfolio to deliver personalized consumer-centric experiences that drive engagement and reduce costs. Becker’s Hospital Review TREND 4 With increasing emphasis on cross-platform (EHR, CRM, CMS, virtual health, etc.) and cross-organizational data portability, advanced APIs and interoperability should ensure secure and efficient data exchanges between EHR systems, devices, and various channels of care. Forbes TREND 5 COVID-19 has pushed telehealth into the mainstream, and adoption has gained impressive traction. Expect expansions of asynchronous virtual care leveraging integrated wearable technologies. Business Insider Intelligence / Research and Markets TREND 6 With more healthcare data available, artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies will provide greater speed and insights to analyze and predict outcomes that drive change in patient care. Gartner / Forrester TREND 7 Organizations will continue looking to Social Determinant of Health strategies to help understand health disparities – including those highlighted through COVID-19 infections – and alleviate some of the financial strains while delivering high quality care. Fierce Healthcare / Healthify TREND 8 Successfully making the transition to offering greater price transparency will not only put healthcare organizations in compliance, but help satisfy patient demand, increasing patient engagement and even point-of-service payments. Health Leaders Media The strategy imperative With so much call for transformation, it’s vital to resist the pull of “shiny object” point solutions and to, instead, build a fully-considered digital strategy. Need help getting started? Our healthcare experts help the nation’s largest providers and payers navigate and execute their north star strategy, tackling specific challenges through assessments, best-practice advice, strategy, and roadmaps. Explore our thought leadership and connect with us to learn more today.

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Technologies in the Healthcare Industry: Advancements Fueled by the Pandemic

Article | December 9, 2020

The pandemic-fueled technology adoption has enabled the healthcare industry to address the challenges, including cybersecurity, telehealth, invoicing and payment processing, patient experience, effective payment model, and big data. The responses to the unusual COVID-19 pandemic has sped up the adoption of new digital technologies in the industry. It has also fueled advancements in health technology. From the start of 2020, these advancements transformed the healthcare industry into a next-gen one by accelerating digitization of their internal and external operations by two to three years. This surprising impact of technology in the healthcare industry has brought out unexpected competition between the key players in the B2B healthcare market. Whatever the field, adapting yourself to modern changes is the best strategy to thrive. Get yourself updated according to the changes or get yourself outdated is the new norm in the healthcare industry. The following trends and advancements in technology in the healthcare industry due to the pandemic in 2020 show that healthcare providers are always searching for new ways to improve their productivity, performance, and efficiency. These were the need of the hour during the pandemic, for them to surge ahead of their competitors. • Telemedicine • Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare • The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) • Supply chain management technology • Privacy issues • AR/VR/MR in Healthcare • Blockchain • Digital marketing trends in healthcare This article looks into the major innovations, advancements, and trends brought out by the global pandemic in 2020 in the healthcare industry. Pandemic-fueled Advancements One of the biggest challenges faced by the healthcare industry in the US today is its digital capacity to effectively engage consumers and make them stay healthy. This can include helping people to prevent getting infected by various diseases such as COVID-19 and effectively managing various other chronic conditions. This is where technology in the healthcare industry has a major role to play. Due to the latest advancements in technology, the healthcare industry was already evolving but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transformation dramatically. McKinsey reports that US$250 billion was spent on technology in the US healthcare industry to shift the industry into a virtual care model in the wake of the pandemic. Also, a study by FAIR Health, a non-profit group, says the increase in telehealth claims in the US is 4,000% in 2020. Here’s a detailed look into the above-mentioned advancements, innovations or trends brought out by the pandemic in the industry. Telemedicine Had the world ever thought that it would be possible one day for doctors to remotely examine the health of patients via a smartphone or a computer? Telemedicine, a new trend in technology in the healthcare industry, addresses many challenges in the industry. Improved technology in the industry has made telemedicine easier, even for people, who are not computer savvy. Telehealth services are now provided through different telemedicine apps. In the light of the pandemic, rather than in-person visits, 43.5% of primary medical visits were done using telehealth methods in April 2020 in the US. The major benefit of telemedicine is that it reduces contact between healthcare workers, patients, and other patients. This reduces the chances of the spread of infectious diseases. Reports say that 71% of Americans considered telemedicine useful at the beginning of the pandemic. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years too. With the pandemic, telemedicine saw an immediate boom compared to previous years. This boom in telehealth is projected to break US$185.6 billion by 2026. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare Artificial intelligence, a new trend and advancement in technology in the healthcare industry, had a critical role in fighting the pandemic. AI played a major role in areas such as pandemic detection, vaccine development, facial recognition with masks, thermal screening, and analyzing CT scans. AI is becoming the new operating technology in the healthcare industry. Major AI healthcare applications Healthcare providers will benefit a lot from AI-driven tools as AI technology in the healthcare industry has become a transformational force. Machine learning algorithms and software in AI will revolutionize the use of technology in the healthcare industry and the science of healthcare in the coming years too. AI will unify machines and humans through the brain. Some of the AI technologies in the healthcare industry, which are very relevant, are machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), rule-based expert systems, physical robots, diagnostic and treatment, patient engagement and adherence, and administrative applications. Benefits of AI in healthcare and statistics AI addresses many challenges that present technology in the healthcare industry cannot tackle. Better data-driven decisions, increased disease diagnosis efficiency, reduced treatment time, easy integration of information, reduced costs, increased patient satisfaction, fewer errors, and easier payment options are some of the benefits AI-assisted technology in the healthcare industry can provide. According to an analysis by Accenture, by 2026, clinical AI health applications are expected to create approximately US$150 billion for the US healthcare economy as annual savings. Also, the US AI health market is expected to reach around US$6.6 billion by 2021. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) Nowadays, medical interactions involve some sort of equipment or device; it can be a glucose monitor, blood pressure monitor, or even an MRI scanner. It may not be a surprise now that, according to a 2020 Deloitte report, the available number of medical technologies are around 50,000. The internet-connected devices, which are known as IoMT tools, are transforming the healthcare and technology in the healthcare industry. What Is IoMT? The connected infrastructure of software applications, medical devices, and health systems and services are the IoMT. This has emerged by combining IoT development with telehealth technologies and telemedicine. Potential of IoMT in healthcare and statistics Lower costs for care, fewer mistakes, and more accurate diagnosis are the potential capabilities of IoMT. IoMT paired with various smartphone applications allows patients to send information regarding their health to doctors and get treated for diseases. This type of technology-driven healthcare not only improves patient experiences but also reduces the cost. IoMT, the new trend in technology in the healthcare industry, also has a positive effect on drug management. According to Goldman Sachs, IoMT will save US$300 billion annually in the healthcare industry. AllTheResearch expects that the global IoMT market value will reach US$254.2 billion from US$44.5 billion in 2018. Supply chain management technology in the healthcare industry Utilizing advanced supply chain management technology in the healthcare industry enables healthcare providers to reach the right patients with the right product at the right time. Digitalized supply chain management also makes healthcare organizations improve provider-patient connectedness, data flow and analytics, regulatory compliance, and asset tracking. A range of challenges faced by healthcare providers prompts you to digitalize supply chain networks, using the latest technologies in the healthcare industry. Advanced supply chain management technology will help you optimize costs, reduce unnecessary variation due to error and variability, enhance patient care, engagement, and delivery, and address new value-creation priorities. According to reports from market researchers, global healthcare supply chain management technology is expected to reach US$3.3 billion in 2025 from US$2.2 billion in 2020. Privacy issues Privacy is a serious concern in technology in the healthcare industry, especially because of HIPAA compliance in 2020. Although data and information of patients can be efficiently stored and retrieved through cloud computing, complying with the strict electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) is difficult. While electronic health records and sensor networks, and advancements in other technologies in the healthcare industry will surely improve the quality of healthcare by reducing medical errors and costs, associated security and privacy are challenges to be addressed. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association estimated that stolen or lost PHI may cost the US healthcare industry approximately US$7 billion annually. To solve these issues, hospitals, and other healthcare providers have to stop using outdated technology and adopt state-of-the-art technologies without violating HIPAA. Encryption technology in the healthcare industry is the best option and healthcare providers should start using it to ensure the privacy of patients. AR, VR, and MR in Healthcare Virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are important technologies in the healthcare industry to enhance and ensure the quality of telemedicine, especially during the period of the pandemic. The pandemic has made these technologies more popular and the trend is expected to continue in the future too. Both of these technologies in the healthcare industry are used to enhance patient and provider visits and even to educate medical students. AR and VR also have the potential to help stroke victims overcome deficiencies, assist in robotic surgeries, educate patients before surgeries, facilitate easy surgical planning, help patients with PTSD, and reduce anxiety in children during a painful procedure or blood tests. Mixed reality (MR) is the mixed use of both VR and MR in a patient’s healthcare process and is also gaining popularity. Blockchain Blockchain is a trend which is expected to revolutionize technology in the healthcare industry. Using blockchain or digital ledgers will enable you to securely distribute transaction records to patients with improved data security. Along with other trends such as cloud computing and IoMT, blockchain also offers portability, accessibility, and high security. One of the greatest benefits of blockchain technology in the healthcare industry is interoperability. As blockchain provides full visibility through a digital ledger, it improves integrity and transparency. Blockchain technology in the healthcare industry is beneficial to handle clinical study information, patient wearable data, and patient records. Scope of blockchain technology in the healthcare industry Various statistics on blockchain technology in the healthcare industry expect a wide scope for this technology. The global blockchain technology market in the healthcare industry is projected to cross US500 million by 2022. Digital marketing trends in healthcare Digital marketing technology in the healthcare industry has been revolutionized as new trends were set by the pandemic in 2020. As the world shrunk to online mode during the pandemic period, the following healthcare digital marketing trends emerged. Content marketing The smartest way to attract new patients to your service is content marketing and educational content. 2020 is the time where the content truly emerged as king. Educational content is vital in the healthcare space because everyone always tries to learn new things. It can be a trick or tips about the latest technological advancements, general industry news, or new diagnostic options. Mobile responsive websites Another important digital marketing technology in the healthcare industry is making an attractive website, which also must be mobile responsive. In this modern world of technology, everyone wants to access every facility at their fingertips. So, if your website is not mobile responsive, you won’t get traffic to your website easily. Along with these two trending digital marketing technologies in the healthcare industry, some of the other trends are: • Video marketing • Multichannel initiatives and customer touchpoints • Online reputation • Powerful presence on social media channels • Location-based SEO The essential trends and advancements in technology in the healthcare industry depicting the future of healthcare are machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data science along with a focus on effective healthcare digital marketing technology and strategy. The pandemic fueled B2B healthcare technology will make the industry evolve every year and go on resolving new challenges that arise. Frequently Asked Questions Why is technology important to the healthcare industry? Integrating technology with healthcare industry will improve quality of life. Also, the use of digital technology in the healthcare industry will increase efficiency, quality, and patient experience. What is new technology in healthcare? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many trending technologies are used in healthcare. The new technologies in the healthcare industries are AI, blockchain, chatbots, voice search, and virtual reality. What are the negative impacts of medical technology? Medical technology can have some negative impacts on patients such as impersonal or minimized care, negative health effects, increased patient costs, inappropriate use, and invasion of privacy.

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Spotlight

AmerisourceBergen

AmerisourceBergen provides pharmaceutical products, value-driving services and business solutions that improve access to care. Tens of thousands of healthcare providers, veterinary practices and livestock producers trust us as their partner in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Global pharmaceutical manufacturers depend on us for services that drive commercial success for their products.

Related News

Fitbit launched a large-scale study to validate its technology to detect atrial fibrillation

Fitbit | May 07, 2020

Fitbit launched a sweeping heart study on Wednesday aimed at exploring whether its devices can detect atrial fibrillation. The company's focus on health care, along with its work in clinical trials to alert users to conditions like hypertension and sleep apnea. Fitbit's strategy is to make easy-to-use health tools that detect a range of conditions more accessible to the general population. Wearables giant Fitbit launched a sweeping heart study on Wednesday aimed at exploring whether its devices can detect atrial fibrillation. It's part of Fitbit's broader ambitions in healthcare to use its wearable technology for preventive health to reduce the risk of life-threatening events like stroke by detecting problems earlier. With the launch of the heart study, Fitbit is chasing down competitor Apple which received FDA clearance in 2018 for its ECG feature and more recently launched a study with Johnson & Johnson to explore whether its own wearables can detect Afib. "Wearable data and the kinds of information wearable data can provide will serve as another tier in the healthcare system," Eric Friedman, Fitbit co-founder and chief technology officer told FierceHealthcare. Read More: DOXIMITY LAUNCHES DOXIMITY DIALER VIDEO- A FREE TELEHEALTH APP FOR PROVIDERS The company's focus on health care, along with its work in clinical trials to alert users to conditions like hypertension and sleep apnea, makes it clear that it wants to pivot its wearables from just fun accessories to health devices. Fitbit’s user-generated health data, combined with the company’s analytics, can provide an "early warning sign" to users about potential problems like irregular heart rhythms suggestive of atrial fibrillation (Afib), Friedman said. "It could serve as a 'check engine light' to help get that person to the appropriate level of care, and that could be, at first, a telehealth physician or a personal health coach. That's another layer in the healthcare system. Fitbit devices will be a "Minute Clinic' on your wrist before you have to go see a physician," he said. Fitbit's strategy is to make easy-to-use health tools that detect a range of conditions more accessible to the general population, according to the company. Until recently, tools for detecting AFib had a number of limitations and were only accessible if you visited a doctor, My hope is that advancing research on innovative and accessible technology, like Fitbit devices, will lead to more tools that help improve health outcomes and reduce the impact of AFib on a large scale. - Steven Lubitz, M.D., principal investigator of the Fitbit Heart Study Fitbit launched in 2007 and now has close to 30 million active users. In November, tech giant Google announced plans to buy the company for $2.1 billion, but that deal still needs to be approved by regulators. Scripps Research Institute and Stanford Medicine are collaborating with Fitbit on research aimed at using Fitbit data to help detect, track and contain infectious diseases like COVID-19. The two studies are examples of where Fitbit can fit in healthcare, Friedman said. The heart study looks at individual wearable data to detect heart health trends and the second study looks at population-level wearable data—including heart rate, sleep, and activity levels—to try to detect the early onset of a virus. "We're not trying to replace the healthcare system. Doctors and clinicians are dealing with acute healthcare issues and they don't have the bandwidth to look at longitudinal trends," Friedman said. "Where Fitbit wants to play and where we have value is that all-day, continuous health monitoring and guidance to help users stay healthy and manage their health conditions." Focus on heart health The Fitbit Heart Study aims to enroll hundreds of thousands of people, and its results will support the company’s regulatory submissions globally. To track heart rate, Fitbit’s devices use photoplethysmography (PPG) technology to measure the rate of blood flow directly from a user’s wrist. Theoretically, these measurements can be used to determine a user’s heart rhythm, which Fitbit’s algorithm will analyze for irregularities in the Fitbit Heart Study. Study participants who receive a notification about an irregular heart rhythm will be connected with a doctor for a virtual appointment at no cost and may receive a free electrocardiogram (ECG) patch in the mail to confirm the notification. One of the goals of the study is to understand how wearable data and virtual care can be used as a model of healthcare that does not involve in-person care, according to Tony Faranesh, senior research scientist at Fitbit. This model of care can be used to both offload the in-person care so the healthcare system can focus on more complicated, more acute health issues, and it's also a way of empowering and educating users about their own health and enabling them to make positive changes before they see a doctor. - Tony Faranesh, senior research scientist at Fitbit. AFib affects nearly 33.5 million people globally and patients with Afib have five times higher risk of stroke. But it also can be difficult to detect. Fitbit wearables have the potential to accelerate Afib detection because the devices provide 24/7 heart rate tracking. This enables long-term heart rhythm assessment, including when users are asleep. The optimal way to identify irregular rhythm through heart rate tracking technology is to screen when the body is at rest, according to the company. "We have the opportunity to develop and provide access to technology that may be able to improve public health and save lives," Friedman said. Fitbit also is pursuing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other global regulatory authorities for its Afib detection software. Read More: HOSPITAL AND PROVIDER GROUPS CHEER NEW CMS FLEXIBILITY ON TELEHEALTH, CAPACITY AND ACO LOSSES Fitbit inked a multiyear partnership with pharmaceutical giants Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer last year to develop programs to identify and support people found to be at increased risk for stroke. Those programs will be implemented following FDA clearance for Fitbit's Afib detection software. Fitbit completed a clinical trial of its new ECG feature for spot detection of AFib and plans to seek review by the FDA and global regulatory authorities. About Fitbit We're a passionate team dedicated to health and fitness who are building products that help transform people's lives. While health can be serious business, we feel it doesn't have to be. We believe you're more likely to reach your goals if you're encouraged to have fun, smile, and feel empowered along the way.

Read More

Clinical study matchmaking startup emerges from Shark Tank with a deal from Mark Cuban

DNAsimple | November 14, 2017

A healthcare entrepreneur with a business that seeks to make clinical recruitment easier by matching up DNA donors with medical study researchers in exchange for $50 per study for participants pitched to the investors on ABC’s Shark Tank TV program.

Read More

VA scores favorably in RAND health care study

July 18, 2016

The embattled Veterans Affairs health care system generally performs better than or similar to other health care systems for providing safe and effective care to patients, according to a new RAND Corporation study. The VA, under fire for long wait times, often (but not always) performs better than or similarly to other systems of care for patient safety and effectiveness of care. More studies are needed, particularly looking at timeliness, equity, efficiency, and patient "centeredness." the report concludes.

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Fitbit launched a large-scale study to validate its technology to detect atrial fibrillation

Fitbit | May 07, 2020

Fitbit launched a sweeping heart study on Wednesday aimed at exploring whether its devices can detect atrial fibrillation. The company's focus on health care, along with its work in clinical trials to alert users to conditions like hypertension and sleep apnea. Fitbit's strategy is to make easy-to-use health tools that detect a range of conditions more accessible to the general population. Wearables giant Fitbit launched a sweeping heart study on Wednesday aimed at exploring whether its devices can detect atrial fibrillation. It's part of Fitbit's broader ambitions in healthcare to use its wearable technology for preventive health to reduce the risk of life-threatening events like stroke by detecting problems earlier. With the launch of the heart study, Fitbit is chasing down competitor Apple which received FDA clearance in 2018 for its ECG feature and more recently launched a study with Johnson & Johnson to explore whether its own wearables can detect Afib. "Wearable data and the kinds of information wearable data can provide will serve as another tier in the healthcare system," Eric Friedman, Fitbit co-founder and chief technology officer told FierceHealthcare. Read More: DOXIMITY LAUNCHES DOXIMITY DIALER VIDEO- A FREE TELEHEALTH APP FOR PROVIDERS The company's focus on health care, along with its work in clinical trials to alert users to conditions like hypertension and sleep apnea, makes it clear that it wants to pivot its wearables from just fun accessories to health devices. Fitbit’s user-generated health data, combined with the company’s analytics, can provide an "early warning sign" to users about potential problems like irregular heart rhythms suggestive of atrial fibrillation (Afib), Friedman said. "It could serve as a 'check engine light' to help get that person to the appropriate level of care, and that could be, at first, a telehealth physician or a personal health coach. That's another layer in the healthcare system. Fitbit devices will be a "Minute Clinic' on your wrist before you have to go see a physician," he said. Fitbit's strategy is to make easy-to-use health tools that detect a range of conditions more accessible to the general population, according to the company. Until recently, tools for detecting AFib had a number of limitations and were only accessible if you visited a doctor, My hope is that advancing research on innovative and accessible technology, like Fitbit devices, will lead to more tools that help improve health outcomes and reduce the impact of AFib on a large scale. - Steven Lubitz, M.D., principal investigator of the Fitbit Heart Study Fitbit launched in 2007 and now has close to 30 million active users. In November, tech giant Google announced plans to buy the company for $2.1 billion, but that deal still needs to be approved by regulators. Scripps Research Institute and Stanford Medicine are collaborating with Fitbit on research aimed at using Fitbit data to help detect, track and contain infectious diseases like COVID-19. The two studies are examples of where Fitbit can fit in healthcare, Friedman said. The heart study looks at individual wearable data to detect heart health trends and the second study looks at population-level wearable data—including heart rate, sleep, and activity levels—to try to detect the early onset of a virus. "We're not trying to replace the healthcare system. Doctors and clinicians are dealing with acute healthcare issues and they don't have the bandwidth to look at longitudinal trends," Friedman said. "Where Fitbit wants to play and where we have value is that all-day, continuous health monitoring and guidance to help users stay healthy and manage their health conditions." Focus on heart health The Fitbit Heart Study aims to enroll hundreds of thousands of people, and its results will support the company’s regulatory submissions globally. To track heart rate, Fitbit’s devices use photoplethysmography (PPG) technology to measure the rate of blood flow directly from a user’s wrist. Theoretically, these measurements can be used to determine a user’s heart rhythm, which Fitbit’s algorithm will analyze for irregularities in the Fitbit Heart Study. Study participants who receive a notification about an irregular heart rhythm will be connected with a doctor for a virtual appointment at no cost and may receive a free electrocardiogram (ECG) patch in the mail to confirm the notification. One of the goals of the study is to understand how wearable data and virtual care can be used as a model of healthcare that does not involve in-person care, according to Tony Faranesh, senior research scientist at Fitbit. This model of care can be used to both offload the in-person care so the healthcare system can focus on more complicated, more acute health issues, and it's also a way of empowering and educating users about their own health and enabling them to make positive changes before they see a doctor. - Tony Faranesh, senior research scientist at Fitbit. AFib affects nearly 33.5 million people globally and patients with Afib have five times higher risk of stroke. But it also can be difficult to detect. Fitbit wearables have the potential to accelerate Afib detection because the devices provide 24/7 heart rate tracking. This enables long-term heart rhythm assessment, including when users are asleep. The optimal way to identify irregular rhythm through heart rate tracking technology is to screen when the body is at rest, according to the company. "We have the opportunity to develop and provide access to technology that may be able to improve public health and save lives," Friedman said. Fitbit also is pursuing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other global regulatory authorities for its Afib detection software. Read More: HOSPITAL AND PROVIDER GROUPS CHEER NEW CMS FLEXIBILITY ON TELEHEALTH, CAPACITY AND ACO LOSSES Fitbit inked a multiyear partnership with pharmaceutical giants Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer last year to develop programs to identify and support people found to be at increased risk for stroke. Those programs will be implemented following FDA clearance for Fitbit's Afib detection software. Fitbit completed a clinical trial of its new ECG feature for spot detection of AFib and plans to seek review by the FDA and global regulatory authorities. About Fitbit We're a passionate team dedicated to health and fitness who are building products that help transform people's lives. While health can be serious business, we feel it doesn't have to be. We believe you're more likely to reach your goals if you're encouraged to have fun, smile, and feel empowered along the way.

Read More

Clinical study matchmaking startup emerges from Shark Tank with a deal from Mark Cuban

DNAsimple | November 14, 2017

A healthcare entrepreneur with a business that seeks to make clinical recruitment easier by matching up DNA donors with medical study researchers in exchange for $50 per study for participants pitched to the investors on ABC’s Shark Tank TV program.

Read More

VA scores favorably in RAND health care study

July 18, 2016

The embattled Veterans Affairs health care system generally performs better than or similar to other health care systems for providing safe and effective care to patients, according to a new RAND Corporation study. The VA, under fire for long wait times, often (but not always) performs better than or similarly to other systems of care for patient safety and effectiveness of care. More studies are needed, particularly looking at timeliness, equity, efficiency, and patient "centeredness." the report concludes.

Read More

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