Key Takeaways
- Data suggests that 85 percent of physicians use telehealth because it provides access to quality care from home.
- EHR provides a detailed description of patients’ medical history. Physicians can study digital charts and gain insights into patients’ conditions.
- Smartwatches and FitBits are now going mainstream. Continuous glucose monitoring sensors in wearables are used to track sugar levels for type 2 diabetes patients. These sensors help those with low blood sugar levels and insulin therapy.
Patient care technology has changed the way doctors, nurses, and patients view healthcare. Apart from patient care, these technologies have reduced healthcare costs, made care accessible for all, and decreased hospital readmission rates.
With just a smartphone and network connection, anybody can connect with practitioners and expert caregivers in their vicinity. Let’s look at the top patient care technology.
7 Patient Care Technology to Look Out For
1. Telemedicine/Telehealth
According to the 2021 Telehealth Survey report by American Medical Association (AMA), 85 percent of physicians use telehealth, while others use a combination of virtual and in-patient care. Physicians and patients widely use telemedicine platforms because it provides access to quality care from home. Additionally, it is easy to book online appointments, pay medical bills, and get access to medical records.
Telemedicine platforms can be used for chronic disease treatment such as diabetes, cancer, or heart disease. Funding from the NCI (National Cancer Institute) resulted in a telehealth strategy known as Northwestern’s Program for Scalable Telehealth Cancer Care. It aimed to track three health risk behaviors, namely obesity, smoking, and inactivity amongst cancer patients.
Chronic disease patients require constant access to care and cannot always travel to hospitals for minor follow-ups. Hence, the communication features of telemedicine allow patients to stay in touch with their physicians and improve their health.
2. EHR (Electronic Health Records)
Electronic health records are one of the widely accepted patient care technology by physicians and patients. It contributes to patient care by preventing medical errors such as incorrect dosages and wrong prescriptions. It triggers alerts for food or drug interaction and identifies potential drug side effects or adverse reactions. EHR database allows physicians or pharmacists to research any drug, its side effects, or contraindications.
Furthermore, EHR provides a detailed description of patients’ medical conditions. Physicians can study digital charts and gain insights into patients’ medical issues. It helps them in predictive analysis and to plan better treatment, especially for chronic diseases. Additionally, EHR software is integrated into varied healthcare technologies such as patient portals, practice management software, and mobile healthcare apps. Integration helps patients and doctors to access records from all platforms and ameliorate care.
3. RPM (Remote Patient Monitoring)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services indicated that RPM is becoming an important part of care delivery. It records medical data and transmits it to providers, who view it while delivering care. The role of RPM for patient care is to keep tabs on people with ongoing medical illnesses such as heart conditions, diabetes, asthma, mental illness, hypertension, and even Covid-19 disease.
Remote patient monitoring makes use of devices such as pulse oximeters, weight scales, blood glucose meters, heart monitors, BP monitors, and devices to monitor dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Data from these devices is sent to physicians who check it in real-time and take medical action if the readings are abnormal.
Patient care technology like RPM prevents hospital readmission rates as doctors offer home treatment. As per a study published in the Jama Network Open in 2020, RPM reduced rehospitalization rates among hip and knee replacement patients.
4. Automatic IV Pumps and Smart Beds
IV pumps play a critical role in patient care, especially in acute care treatment. With IV pumps patients are administered medication and nutrition efficiently. However, manual maintenance and placement of IVs can be time-consuming. Automatic IV pumps are used to manage drip rates, medication dosages, and nutrition intervals. This reduces the risk of human error throughout patient care. Moving on, smart beds simplify the monitoring procedure with sensors and automatically track the vital signs of patients during care.
5. Wearables
Smartwatches and FitBits are now going mainstream. Every other individual has a smartwatch or a portable device to track health. According to Insider Intelligence, the US smart wearable market is predicted to rise by 25.5 percent in 2023. Technological advancement and growing demand from users are driving market growth.
As per the Deloitte survey, smartwatches are used to monitor heart rate, sleep quality, and calorie levels. This data can be shared with physicians for treatment plans or medications.
Furthermore, continuous glucose monitoring sensors in wearables are used to track sugar levels for type 2 diabetes patients. These sensors help those with low blood sugar levels and insulin therapy. Wearable patient care technology is sure to change the face of the healthcare sector in the coming years.
6. Point-of-Care Technology
Point-of-care technology (POCT) offers actionable data at the site of care and helps in rapid clinical decision-making. POCT uses portable devices for patient care and provides instant results. Doctors and patients no longer have to wait for lab results to conclude a diagnosis.
POC devices are designed for near-patient diagnosis and reduce clinical visits. They also allow medical professionals to spend more time on treatment. Different types of POC devices used for patient care are:
- Portable handheld camera-based dermatology devices
- Intraoral camera for dental professionals
- Portable retinal cameras
- Automated urinalysis systems
7. Virtual Assistants
Virtual assistants work remotely and help patients, doctors, and front-desk staff with tasks such as managing the front office, setting appointments, and sending reminders. It supports patient care through tasks such as:
- Answering patient queries
- Providing patient support via messaging, email, and chats.
- Scheduling appointments
- Processing prescriptions
Healthcare organizations can consider hiring virtual assistants for better workflow, patient engagement, and overall experience. Have an assistant with attributes such as proactiveness, efficiency, and professionalism.
Additionally, you can get a custom healthcare software developed for your organization for quality patient care. Customized software are made with unique interface and include organization-specific features. Arkenea, a healthcare software development company offers custom software development services. We offer top-notch software that fits your demands and suits industry standards. Get in touch with Arkenea to know more.