Every day, new technology is being adopted by healthcare organizations. Instrumental in shaping the healthcare industry as we know today, technology has completely changed how things are done in the healthcare sector including giving more control to consumers/patients. New technological developments in the healthcare sector are expected this year as well. Here are 5 healthcare technology trends to watch out for in 2018

As more and more organizations in the healthcare sector adopt technology, many new trends are emerging that will help reshape the care being provided to patients. The trends are enabled by automation and artificial intelligence and have the potential to change healthcare as we know it today. Here are 5 healthcare technology trends to watch out for in 2018.

1.     Increased Use of Cloud Computing

For both patients and doctors, cloud technology is making healthcare and patient information more accessible. Without much waiting, patients can access their test results on the cloud from the comfort of their home. It is predicted that in 2018, mobile devices will be used for more than half of the interactions with healthcare facilities and experts in some developed countries.

Today, more and more tech-savvy doctors are using medical apps to frequently check up on drug and patient care information. Paper records of the patient are fast becoming a thing of the past. To get round the clock access to the medical records and test results of patients, many hospitals and clinicians are storing the records of the patient over the cloud. Moreover, they are investing time and money into data security to comply to the laws of patient privacy and this trend is likely grow in 2018.

2.     Telehealth

Already a popular medicine field, telehealth is likely to expand and reach many new healthcare areas in 2018. To put it simply, telehealth is the means for delivering and supporting health education and enhancing public health via telecommunications technology. You have experienced telehealth if have sent and received emails from a GP or other healthcare specialist online.

Today, telehealth includes apps for tracking food intake or exercise, portals for seeing test results, and text reminders that notify you about appointments. Telehealth is expected to expand in 2018 and reach those in rural or remote areas where accessing healthcare facilities and providers can be a challenge. Since it allows doctors to track their patients from miles away, the use of telehealth to wirelessly transfer healthcare information will increase during the year.

Since mobile devices are technology best enabling telehealth, you should be ready for more mobile apps that connect patients with healthcare providers to be developed in 2018.

3.     Wearables that Track and Analyze Health

Wearable tech such as fit bits, activity trackers, and smartwatches etc. is helping many people today to optimize their health and lifestyle. With the help of these devices, people can set fitness goals, track them and ultimately accomplish them. To encourage today’s consumer to move towards a healthies lifestyle, healthcare technology such as wearable tech is creating a gamification environment.

Using the wearables tech, people are counting steps and calories to set up their health goals. As technology has become more accessible and advanced, wearables that monitor and track health are becoming common. Thanks to this seamless physical and digital integration, consumers today can take control of their well-being beyond clinical requirements. Today, the quality of life for today’s consumers has enhanced thanks to tech such as health wearables and this technology is expected to reshape how manage their health on a daily basis in the future.

4.     Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things Will Assume a Key Role

The field of Internet of Things and Artificial intelligence may experience significant investments from healthcare providers in 2018. Healthcare technology is expected to experience significant advancements in 2018—which will affect the healthcare workforce and make the use of technology in the sector crucial. In addition to being useful in making clinical insights more accurate, the use of artificial intelligence and Internet of things in the healthcare sector will minimize manual redundancy and lower errors as the world transitions to quality healthcare.

5.     Chat Bots

Generally, when people hear the word ‘chat bots’, they immediately start to think of intelligent personal assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa ore Apple’s Siri. Chat bots in healthcare are not much different from them. Powered by artificial intelligence or commands, traditional chat bots—known as command-based chat bots, execute simple tasks such as telling you about the weather when asked.

On the other hand, bots powered by artificial intelligence are more complicated. To learn and connect with humans, these bots use data and algorithms. In the healthcare sector, these bots can act as a middleman between healthcare practitioners and patients. Let’s say you’re suffering from a viral infection, but are confused about visiting the doctor’s office at the time. An artificial intelligence bot will respond to your questions regarding your illness and then either schedule an appointment for you or link you to a real healthcare practitioner if required.

Think of artificial intelligence bots as your own personal medical assistants that can help you to keep track of your health. By scheduling your doctor appointments, informing you about the time to take your medicines, tracking your well-being and alerting a healthcare practitioner if required, AI bots can help you maintain optimal health.

The five healthcare technology trends mentioned above are the trends to watch out for in 2018 as they have the potential to completely reshape the healthcare industry including changing how care is provided to patients and how patient information is stored and transmitted. Get in touch with us to find out more trends that are changing the healthcare sector.

Contact Us

Percento is a Professional IT Consulting, Implementation and Management firm.  To find out how we can help your organization, please contact one of our friendly sales representatives for a review of your system and a comprehensive (No Obligation) proposal of services. Call today toll-free at 800.614-7886 [Austin | Houston | The Woodlands | Dallas | San Antonio] or email us at sales@percentotech.com.