5 Trends That Are Changing the Healthcare Business Landscape

No matter where you go technology is there, such is the case in the world of medicine as well. This is a very good scenario because technology offers infinite scalability and a myriad of potential solutions for complex medical treatments. Some of the strengths and weaknesses of the medical systems all over the world have been revealed during the global COVID-19 pandemic. This worldwide challenge has brought doctors together like never before and it inspired many tech companies to collaborate together with medical facilities all over the world in order to fight the spread of this viral disease. This has allowed people to see new treatment possibilities with the latest innovations in technology. The current healthcare business landscape is definitely being shaped into a far more modernized, efficient, and promising industry. Here are the five latest trends that are changing the healthcare business landscape. 

The use of remote technology

With some of the most complex issues ever seen, raised by the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a lot of effort put into the development of advanced technology which can make medical treatment much more readily available and efficient. By far the most immediate and easiest implementation of technology into the healthcare systems across the globe has been in the effort to save valuable resources and time, especially for minimizing in-person and not-so-urgent patient treatment. Checkups, consultations, and some mental health treatments could all be done online, using remote video conferencing tools such as Zoom or Skype. This allowed doctors to focus their efforts and focus where it mattered the most; fighting the pandemic. In addition, one of the recent trends in integrating technology into the healthcare systems of the future is an easier way to book treatments online. Patients can now rest assured knowing that they can get treatment anywhere in the world thanks to the new decentralized treatment capabilities. 

VR-assisted treatment and training

What was once considered a useless and expensive toy is now surely becoming an extremely useful treatment tool. In 2020 the mixed reality market was valued at $2 billion and is expected to grow to $42.84 billion in 2082. The way this innovative technology has been used the most in surgeon training. In order to teach one person to effectively perform surgeries you would need to invest a lot of money, and the risk was much greater. However, VR training is a superior tool because it can realistically replicate some of the most complex scenarios that may happen during surgery. It also offers much more control over which part of the procedure you want to train so that you can really train on your weak points. In addition to that, it also assists patients with mental health issues using vision therapy. It shows amazing results in treating depression, anxiety, pain relief, motor and non-motor rehabilitation, and significant reductions in pain perception. 

Blockchain technology

One of the biggest concerns in the medical industry is the security of sharing sensitive patient data. This is where blockchain technology reigns supreme. Blockchain technology in the healthcare market is expected to rise with an annual growth rate of nearly 22% from 2021 to 2028. The core principle behind this amazing technology is that the system generates identical blocks across devices that are linked together. So, whenever information is shared and edited, there is a block created so that full transparency is ensured and a high-security level is maintained.  

More focus on mental health

The pandemic has had a tremendous effect on the mental health spectrum of medicine as well. With more and more people realizing the need for seeking professional help. During 2020 there was a significant increase in the number of people reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression. This means that there is going to be an increased demand for seeking mental and emotional healthcare. 

Personalized health-care

Not too long ago medical procedures have been crafted according to the "one-size-fits-all" principle. This is because most drugs are mass tested on a large group of people and then optimized to help the highest number of patients possible with the least cases of side effects. The healthcare of the future is more open-minded and focused on providing patients with personalized care, and more doctors are up for alternative solutions as well, like Dr. Dave for Cannabis.

Latest technology such as genomics, AI, and digital twins allows for more personalized treatment, as drugs could potentially be tailored for an individual patient. The latest innovations in genomics have been especially helpful in this regard. Genomics studies genes and then use technology to mark the DNA structure of an organism, which can be used to create personalized medicine for a person. This is rapidly helping in the treatment of serious diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, etc. This field can also relate to nutrigenetics which specializes in creating extremely healthy diets which are based on an individual’s genetics. 

The Healthcare business landscape is going through some massive changes with more optimized and efficient treatment approaches. Some of the latest achievements in medicine are closely associated with the use of powerful technology. Some of the most notable treatment innovations include; the use of technology to help treat remotely, mixed reality training and treatment options, higher patient security using blockchain technology, more focus on mental health, and a personalized treatment approach.