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Not too long ago, we talked about the emerging healthcare trends for 2022. We mentioned some tech-driven solutions coming to the market along with some important drivers of change such as the need for personalization and the importance of mental health. 

Today, we are going to delve deeper into the leading healthcare trends and focus primarily on the technological innovation that is transforming this sector around the world. In a tech-driven world, it’s only natural that medical institutions and healthcare facilities need to adopt the latest technologies and tech-driven solutions. 

Doing this will elevate the quality of care, ensure patient satisfaction, and drive the innovation process forward in a competitive industry. From machine learning and the use of artificial intelligence, all the way to telehealth and branded mobile apps, there are many ways that technology is affecting patients and medical professionals.

Let’s take a closer look at these tech trends and what they mean for the future of healthcare in 2022.

Augmented and virtual reality for effective treatment

AR and VR have been making waves for a couple of decades now across industries and sectors, and their applications are most common and well-known in the entertainment fields. From video games to creative marketing and advertising, there are many great uses for this tech. 

That said, AR and VR are most effective when used for training and education, and that’s exactly why they are among the most disruptive technology trends in modern healthcare right now. These technologies are nowadays widely used across the healthcare industry to support effective learning and training for residents, as well as advanced training for established professions.

From internal medicine to surgery and across every other specialization, medical professionals can leverage the AR and VR environments to learn new techniques and methodologies. Needless to say, this not only improves efficiency and success rates, but it also elevates the overall patient experience. 

But training medical staff is not the only thing AR and VR are good for. These technologies are now used to treat various psychological disorders and conditions, with VR being used to treat PTSD, depression, and anxiety, and even as an alternative to traditional pain management. 

Managing consumer data with healthcare CRM

Safeguarding confidential patient data in a digital world is of the utmost importance, as security threats become increasingly prevalent across the industry. As more and more healthcare institutions digitize their patient records and introduce centralized data stores, advanced security measures become necessary to ensure legal compliance and patient confidentiality.

But what about the data that helps healthcare institutions further their business? Medical practices are handling a lot of consumer data that can help them retain patients over the long term and build brand loyalty and trust. This is why digital transformation in healthcare requires the use of CRM software where managers and leaders can collect valuable patient and consumer data to optimize and improve their marketing, sales, and support processes.

In 2022 and the years to come, we are going to see more CRM use in the healthcare industry as the sector becomes more competitive. Healthcare businesses need to establish their competitive edge by sorting and utilizing the right data to focus not only on patient experience but also on bringing new business to their doorstep.

Professional online consultations and services

Telehealth is one of those healthcare trends that will have far-reaching effects on the industry and the patient population in the long term. This transformative trend is driven by modern communication tech that allows patients to access healthcare remotely, but it goes beyond communication and delves into patient access to their medical records and personal accounts, and more.

When it comes to communication and remote healthcare, though, patients now have the ability to talk to an online doctor in order to get a prescription, professional medical advice, and other services. This is a revolutionary benefit for people who have limited access to healthcare, live in remote areas, or are unable to cover the full costs of healthcare in their country. 

This patient-centered health technology will be instrumental in battling the mental health crisis brought on by the pandemic. In 2022, as the world is reeling from the effects of self-isolation and lockdowns, telehealth and online doctor consultation will not only help people stay safe but also access professional mental health services remotely.

Dedicated healthcare apps for patients and staff

Healthcare IT is evolving in many different directions, and it’s important to note that app development is currently booming across the industry. This should come as no surprise as both patients and medical professionals stand to benefit from dedicated apps.

Modern health app development can focus on patient applications that allow patients ease of access to their medical records and the ability to easily communicate with their preferred healthcare institutions and doctors. On the other hand, it can also focus on delivering staff-centered apps for better employee management, inter-department communication, scheduling and rostering, and more.

The applications of health apps are numerous in the medical sector today, and developing your own patient and staff-centered, the branded app would be a wise investment in 2022. Your app will boost the overall patient experience and spearhead your efforts to retain patients over the long term in this competitive industry.

Taking the healthcare sector into the cloud

Cloud technology has been around for a while now, but it’s important to note that this tech is constantly evolving and offering better perks and functionalities to growth-oriented healthcare businesses. Migrating your healthcare business to the cloud can help you boost operational efficiency, minimize financial expenditure, and better align all of your services to the needs of your target demographic. 

By creating a cloud VDI solution (virtual desktop infrastructure) and providing your employees with virtual workstations in a collaborative cloud environment, you can better manage your staff remotely or on the go. It will also give everyone access to the same data in real-time. This way, your employees can minimize the risk of error and work more closely with their colleagues to provide the best possible attention and care to their patients.

Over to you

The healthcare sector is continuously evolving through technological innovation and the need for tech-savvy patients and medical professionals to bring efficiency, security, and sustainability to the sector. In 2022 and the years to come, we can expect these tech trends to revolutionize the way professionals deliver services to their patients and how patients interact with the healthcare industry as a whole.