While the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 altered healthcare delivery across the globe, the next year presented further challenges. These included more potent COVID-19 variations and overwhelmed hospitals that cared for patients with and without the virus. In the face of a variety of dangers, technology has shown to be an indispensable component for the continuation of healthcare organizations. In the past several years, the healthcare industry has implemented a variety of technology solutions in an effort to boost worker productivity and reduce the complexity of clinical operations. Given that technology provides low-cost solutions to all of the issues that exist in the world today, it is unavoidable that a significant amount of it will be used in the healthcare business. Other than that, the educational industry has also faced a lot of updates, like the increase of paper writers for hire and more frequent use of educational platforms online.

The development of more intelligent systems will result in a rise in the need for cutting-edge medical facilities. In the years to come, there will be an increase in the frequency with which cutting-edge medical technology is utilized. We have developed a list of digital healthcare transformation trends for 2022 that our experts believe will aid healthcare providers in maintaining their high quality of service for the general public. This list can be seen here.

1. Telemedicine

Since the introduction of telemedicine, there is less of a need placed on patients to make in-person visits to their physicians. Video and audio may be streamed into meetings on virtually any device that has access to the internet, including mobile phones, tablets, personal computers, and many more. Telehealth gives you access to a wide variety of medical services at your convenience and a distance, whether you are traveling, at your place of employment, or unsure if you require medical attention.

Telemedicine is currently capable of providing a variety of services, including telepsychiatry, teledermatology, teleophthalmology, teleoncology, teleobstetrics, and telerehabilitation, amongst others. In a word, it makes medical care more easily accessible and convenient for patients, and it also makes it simpler for patients to consult with professionals when necessary. Because of this, there has been a considerable increase in the number of individuals making use of telemedicine.

2. Artificial Intelligence

Of course, we couldn’t omit this one. Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing healthcare in many different ways, some of which include faster diagnostics and reading of test results (150 times faster than a human), assistance in determining the most effective pharmaceutical compositions, protection against identity theft, and an overall improvement in the customer experience. These are just some of the many ways artificial intelligence is transforming the healthcare industry. In addition, the use of AI in the healthcare industry is associated with significant increases in financial advantages.

The application of AI may have positive effects on decision making, the processing of data, accuracy, efficiency, and the speed at which diagnoses are made. Doctors would be able to provide early treatment and enhance care overall if they approached patients in the appropriate manner from the very beginning of the relationship. Additionally, machine learning assists the pharmaceutical sector in the development of superior medications as well as the conduct of more accurate clinical trials.

3. AR/VR

It was only ten years ago when the concept of employing augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in medical settings and educational settings looked like something out of a science fiction novel. Nobody could foresee the benefits that this would bring in the future.

Exciting new inventions like this provide professionals in the medical field the opportunity to experiment with unique ideas and procedures before deciding whether or not to completely commit to them. As a result of recent advancements in the 3D modeling of human organs and tissues, researchers and physicians now have the ability to digitally test drugs on a real person to see how the patient will react. Augmented and virtual reality technology, often known as “virtual patients” or “organs on a chip,” would make it possible to reduce the number of animals that are used in investigations and speed up the process of conducting clinical tests on humans.

Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) offer a wide range of potential uses in therapy, the treatment of psychological trauma, phobias, opioid addiction, phantom pain, and rehabilitation/wound care. These applications are in addition to their usage in medical education and surgical training. The potential applications of virtual reality and augmented reality (VR and AR) in the medical field are growing as technology advances, signifying a revolutionary step forward.

4. Wearable technology and IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly turning into an important component of the ongoing endeavor to improve the accessibility and efficacy of healthcare, which is one of the highest priorities. The Internet of Medical Things is a subclass of the Internet of Things that is composed of interconnected medical equipment (IoMT). For remote management, software programs and related hardware are often utilized, and data pertaining to patients is communicated through crucial touchpoints. By using this approach, medical professionals, such as physicians and nurses, can keep an eye on the vital signs of their patients, such as blood pressure, temperature, glucose levels, ECG, and so on.

The Internet of Things can be of tremendous assistance to people who live in isolated areas or who are unable to engage in face-to-face communication with their healthcare practitioners. Because of advances in technology and the consolidation of previously separate data sets, patients can now receive effective care that is still relatively close to their homes.

5. Digital Twins

The construction of accurate and interactive simulations of real-world things is made possible by digital twins, which operate as a mediator between the online and offline worlds by providing a platform for the creation of digital twins. A digital twin can be used by a healthcare professional to safely test novel therapies and determine how such treatments can impact an organism that exists in the real world, such as the human body. As a direct result of advances in technology, healthcare IT firms may now choose to replace inanimate things with robots that have been endowed with artificial intelligence.

When combined with machine learning and artificial intelligence, the digital twin technology produces even more advanced results. One of these is a more in-depth comprehension of how the human body functions and reacts to particular manipulations, which helps to significantly cut down on the number of medical errors and improves the overall quality of medical procedures.

The use of cutting-edge technology in healthcare has the potential to improve both the quality of treatment patients get and the efficiency with which their medical professionals deliver that care. To integrate the shards of health data accessible from social systems, financial resources, home care, self-care monitoring, and other conventional therapies, healthcare organizations can build a digital platform upon which to add innovative technologies.

For instance, artificial intelligence and advanced analytics can utilize this data to learn more about patients and their caretakers. People who live in inaccessible places or who need intensive care but are unable to stay in a facility may have better access to treatment through the use of wearable IoMT devices in combination with digital therapy and remote care choices.