If you have ever thought of investing in telemedicine software development, and didn’t, now is the time to do it. Let’s discuss why telehealth investments are soaring and why it’s not surprising.
Like numerous other parts of our lives, healthcare is turning more digital than ever. Moreover, telemedicine is quickly becoming an essential part of the healthcare system rather than a supplement. And it is evident looking at the investment numbers as well as the projected growth.
Telehealth investments reached $5 billion in the second quarter of 2021, and are more than double what they were in the second quarter of 2020. According to Global Industry Analysts, the global telemedicine market is estimated to reach $178 Billion by 2026.
Originally, telehealth and telemedicine were invented to provide medical services to patients living in remote areas that had a deficit of healthcare facilities and professionals. And although it is still used for this purpose, telehealth now progressed to offering patients and doctors many more helpful and convenient instruments to take care of mental and physical health.
What played a major role in the acceleration of digital health adoption and innovation was the COVID-19 pandemic. The threat of catching and spreading the virus during physical visits caused patients to be extra interested in using technology for healthcare. Medical providers had to rapidly implement new solutions so that patients wouldn’t lose access to therapeutic and diagnostic services.
This has caused the boost in the popularity of telehealth software, apps, and platforms, as well as virtual clinical trials and remote patient monitoring methods. Harvard Health Publishing reports that in October 2020, 76% of hospitals in the U.S. connected doctors and patients remotely via telehealth, up from 35% a decade ago.
And the trend of digital health adoption is predicted to go on even after the pandemic subsides because of the many benefits and opportunities that telehealth offers and the many problems it mitigates.
The Advantages Of Telehealth
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Aside from the obvious benefits of telehealth, like providing care to people with disabilities and those living in remote areas that have a lack of doctors or clinics, using technology in healthcare has many other advantages including convenience as well as cost and time savings.
Nowadays, there are many activities and services that can be accessed through telehealth.
Various software and wearable devices allow people to record and track their measurements, periods, food intake, heart rate, blood sugar, and blood pressure to make the process of looking after health more convenient. This data can also help identify issues quicker and can be sent to a doctor.
People also download mental health applications, like yoga and meditation apps, increasingly more to take care of their mental wellbeing, decrease anxiety, help with relaxation and sleep.
Telehealth also enables patients to have a virtual visit with a medical professional over a smartphone or computer when there’s no need to see one in person, like when a patient needs their test results to be explained or for a regular check-up. This can save patients a lot of time and money on the commute as well as provide the convenience of having an e-visit in the comfort of their home.
Online portals bring benefits to both doctors and patients. Patients can access their test results there as well as request prescription refills, message doctors, get reminders of appointments, and schedule visits. Portals also allow coordination between specialists, like sharing test results and exam notes.
The pandemic caused the closure of many medical offices. Others had to cut their opening hours. Telehealth enables medical professionals, like therapists, to treat patients safely from their homes or offices as well as e-meet their patients on weekends or after closing hours. In addition, telemedicine can help doctors lower office and front desk costs.
Growing Acceptance Of Remote Healthcare
The pandemic caused the public to rethink telemedicine as well as get comfortable with it.
One of the instances is how the federal government changed the restrictions to allow “providers to deliver telehealth services across state lines” and “prescribe controlled substances via telehealth, without the need for an in-person medical evaluation”. The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) also revised its clinical guide promoting remote contact and consultations via phones, video conferencing, and emails.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans surveyed confirmed that the pandemic has made them more willing to try virtual care, and 1 in 4 Americans over the age of 50 said they had an e-visit during the first three months of the pandemic.
Lots of patients attending radiation oncology appointments through telemedicine during the pandemic were pleased with the received care and even claimed to prefer it over in-person office visits.
Healthcare providers consider telemedicine visits to be of the same quality as in-person visits as well as help in decreasing the no-shows. In addition, they reported that telemedicine bettered access to care for patients by offering flexibility: reducing obstacles like transportation, work-related time constraints, and childcare.
Right now people globally are turning to technology to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing and telehealth use rates are the evidence. So if you have an idea to bring to the world, it might be high time to do it!
