Digital Transformation in Healthcare: 7 Key Trends for 2024

The healthcare industry is going through a massive change, and much of that is being fueled and made possible by digital transformation in healthcare. The pandemic has prompted a number of changes in the healthcare sector. From the start of the epidemic, telehealth use has increased, resulting in an enhanced patient experience and reduced expenses. The digital revolution in healthcare is expected to change the care experience as we know it by bringing much of the care to the patient’s home. Technology and digital transformation influence changes in healthcare businesses, leading to better care and decision-making.

This blog will examine why the digital healthcare industry is important, what benefits technology can bring to the industry and patients, the key trends of healthcare digitization, and what challenges it faces. First, let us define digital transformation in healthcare.

What is digital transformation in healthcare?

Digital transformation in the healthcare sector talks about adopting the latest technological solutions. These ideas are aimed at improving workplace productivity in healthcare facilities while improving standards for patient care. Using cutting-edge healthcare IT solutions is its main goal in order to simplify crucial workflow processes and regulatory requirements, improve patient care, and reduce costs.

Based on a Deloitte survey, 92% of healthcare professionals and institutions have seen performance improvements due to digital transformation.

The healthcare industry gains a lot from integrating cutting-edge technology like AI, Big Data, and IoT. It provides patients, healthcare workers, and organizations with the best value possible. These technologies offer agility to boost healthcare organizations’ operational effectiveness and enhance patients’ overall experiences. Technology such as Big Data, IoT, Web 3.0, AR/VR, and PaaS/SaaS contribute to digital transformation. It results in automated, fast, and remote processes. If you’re still not convinced, let’s examine the advantages digital healthcare can bring.

Benefits of digital transformation in the healthcare sector

Patients, as well as healthcare institutions & organizations, will benefit from digital transformation in healthcare. A breakthrough in digital transformation will benefit the entire healthcare sector in incomparable ways. Here are a few advantages of digitized healthcare.

• Automated data management for patients and employees.
• Enhanced communication channels enable better interactions between patients, healthcare providers, and other ecosystem partners to remain competitive in the healthcare sector.
• Facilitation and development of on-demand patient service choices and remote care options when visiting a hospital are challenging.
• Rapid diagnosis and treatment result in high levels of patient satisfaction and patient data retention.
• Enhanced patient care and decreased the chance of human error.
• Personalized prognostic and diagnostic claims can be made by developing big data strategies.

Top 7 trends in digital transformation of the healthcare sector in 2024

Technology is used as part of the digital healthcare transformation process to modernize and enhance patient care. This includes automating tasks to improve communication between patients and providers. It is predicted that by 2024, every aspect of healthcare innovation will be influenced by digital transformation. Below mentioned are some of the trends of digital transformation in healthcare services that have emerged as a result of the increased adoption of medical technology by health startups and institutions.

1. Virtual and Augmented Reality

Virtual reality was once thought of as a novelty that belonged to video games. In addition to games and entertainment, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology now offer a wide range of useful applications.

Virtual reality (VR) helps with surgical planning and training in healthcare, making treatments more comfortable for both patients and doctors. Virtual reality is already being used by medical practitioners to treat various illnesses, including mental diseases like anxiety, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder. In order to simulate real-life situations where people feel psychologically challenged, such as when dealing with eating disorders, a fear of heights, or social anxiety, providers can use VR and AR technologies.

Many innovative VR and AR applications for healthcare will be introduced this year and in the years to come. Many digital health trends have a short shelf life, but some technologies go beyond that because they offer real, long-term advantages for patients and medical professionals that can save time & money and enhance patient care.

In a study on the anticipated growth of AR and VR in healthcare, MarketsandMarkets predicted a 30.7% annual growth rate between 2017 and 2025.

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2. Symptom checker chatbots

AI-driven chatbots are continuing to be one of the top digital health trends in 2024. A chatbot is a computer program that conducts human-like meaningful conversations via voice, text, or option input using artificial intelligence (AI).

They are becoming increasingly popular and widespread in every industry, including healthcare and medical consulting. The solutions can be accessed 24/7 via the web or via mobile devices and provide preliminary medical diagnostics and health advice based on inputs from patients. Hospitals and clinics can also integrate chatbots with custom patient portals.

Even for acute conditions, they can assist patients when human medical assistants are unavailable. Using chatbots of this type can provide patients with guidance on how to proceed and encourage them to seek qualified medical assistance when needed. They can, however, lead to misinformation and incorrect self-diagnosis if not used with caution. By 2024, the global healthcare chatbot market is expected to reach $314.3 million from $122 million in 2018.

3. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)

One of the most important breakthroughs in digital healthcare is the Internet of Medical Things. It is one of the top healthcare technology trends for 2024 that everyone in the sector should be aware of.

IoMT is a network of connected medical devices, wearable technology, sensors, and other healthcare-related technology that is integrated with cloud computing systems. It is also known as the Internet of Things (IoT) development in healthcare. This year, a lot of businesses are looking for IoMT solutions because mobile health and wellness applications are predicted to grow.

Some of the most common devices that can be connected to the IoMT system are wearable devices, such as pulsometers and smartwatches. These fitness trackers use sensors to gather data about your body’s vitals, including your heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and more. Medical professionals or other healthcare professionals can then review, diagnose, and treat patients using this data. In 2024, smart autonomous devices in healthcare are on the rise and will continue to boom.

4. Healthcare providers using clinical automation

Healthcare costs are not to be taken lightly, which is why automation is crucial. Automation helps with cost-cutting, process simplification, and patient experience enhancement. Automation is anticipated to play a significant role in the digital transformation of the healthcare sector in 2024. By the end of the year, it is anticipated that investments in automation technologies, such as robotic process automation (RPA), will account for more than half of all healthcare IT expenditures.

Automating administrative procedures like claims processing, arranging appointments, and paying for medical services can be accomplished with the help of robotic process automation. Additionally, it can assist healthcare professionals in maintaining the accuracy of patient records and offer insights into the information that might otherwise be too complex for manual analysis.

Automated drug dispensing systems and machine learning algorithms that can spot anomalous medical data are two further examples of healthcare automation. Automation in the healthcare industry will undoubtedly continue and advance in 2024. Innovation is more important than ever given how the COVID-19 epidemic is continuing to challenge the industry.

5. Predictive healthcare with the help of big data analytics

Today’s digital technologies have made it easier to collect data and transform it into insightful knowledge to provide better care. Healthcare personnel may forecast problems and find solutions before it’s too late by using data-driven insights, which encourages the digital transformation of the healthcare industry.

Big data is a collection of information from several sources, including social media, e-commerce, and financial transactions. Data collection can be examined to boost a variety of business operations in a healthcare organization.

Health care can benefit from big data in many ways, including dealing with epidemics, compiling thorough patient records, and analyzing family medical histories. Together with curing chronic diseases and acting as a form of preventative medicine, it can help lower medical expenses for both patients and healthcare organizations.

By 2025, it is anticipated that the global market for healthcare predictive analytics would reach upto$7.8 billion. For healthcare providers and health tech businesses, it is vital to look for ways to implement predictive analytics and other key trends in digitization of healthcare.

6. Organ bioprinting

We’re all familiar with how 3D printers are used to create toys and replacement parts for equipment, but organ bioprinting is the latest digital trend in the healthcare sector. It is used to combine various cell types or stem cells in a manner similar to that of a 3D printer, creating layer by layer to produce “bioartificial” organs that closely resemble their real counterparts. This tissue can be used to build new organs for transplant patients in addition to being utilized to test the safety of medications.

The bladder is the only organ that has been 3D bioprinted and successfully transplanted into a person, but it may be possible to bioprint other organs in the future as well. This is one of the top health tech trends you should all be looking forward to tracking the progress of!

In the field of medicine, 3D bioprinting is utilized to produce living human cells or tissue for use in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The inventors of this technology are Organovo and EnvisionTEC. Pharmaceuticals that are customized and made with accuracy are also produced via 3D printing. There is no doubt that this trend will only grow in the coming days.

7. Increased use of cloud

In the digital transformation of healthcare, hospitals with multiple locations and departments prefer cloud-based solutions to those that are on-premise. A portion of this is attributed to doctors’ ability to quickly and simply access a plethora of recent data.

Healthcare cloud computing automates backend tasks, streamlines telehealth mobile app development, and even makes it simpler and safer to share medical records. The efficiency of the healthcare sector is increased, and expenditures are reduced by using the cloud.

The use of cloud technology in healthcare is growing so rapidly that global spending on cloud technology is expected to surpass $89 billion by 2027. Furthermore, IaaS, a cloud computing architecture used for moving healthcare infrastructures to the cloud, is now the fastest-growing cloud service with a projected CAGR of 32% by 2027.

Cloud computing is so much more than a new way to store health information – it’s about enabling the right care at the right time, at the right place. It will become increasingly necessary for healthcare leaders and their patients to rethink how they access and use data as time goes on. Several benefits are expected from the transition, including decreased costs and the ability to analyze crucial aspects of treatment quickly, including clinical notes, which results in better care.

Challenges in the digital transformation of healthcare

Challenge 1:

The main issue with the digitalization in healthcare is cybersecurity. The private data of patients can be compromised by a single malware attack, which can result in harm. This will not only interfere with patient care but also damage the healthcare organization’s reputation.

Challenge 2:

A significant investment in technology is needed for digital transformation in healthcare. Plans for digitalization are frequently put on hold by healthcare organizations since they are primarily concerned with costs and returns.

Challenge 3:

Regulations in the healthcare industry work to preserve patient data and medical records at all costs. To automate your healthcare services in the long run, you must adhere to these requirements.

Challenge 4:

Both patients and healthcare professionals must employ new tools and technologies as a result of the digitization of healthcare. Yet, not everyone is tech-savvy. It can be difficult to teach folks these new skills at times.

Final thoughts

To fulfill the needs of healthcare organizations and providers, health IT trends are always evolving. These trends have helped create additional chances to approach health care security in a more holistic manner while also raising the level of security, even though they may raise certain worries about security and patient privacy. Better data management techniques will be the end result of our efforts to enhance patient outcomes and reduce healthcare expenses.

New trends and innovations are often introduced as a result of the ongoing process of digital transformation in healthcare. While using digital technology, it’s crucial to know what patients want and how to use the tools to their advantage. You can provide patients with better treatment and services by embracing digital transformation in healthcare. Patients may migrate from being merely passive users of healthcare services to actively participating in their own care through the use of software development for healthcare. By implementing digital health practices, physicians may be able to provide high-quality care and improve patient outcomes.

To assist healthcare practitioners in streamlining their processes and enhancing performance effectiveness, OpenXcell is here to develop innovative digital health solutions.