The Application and Impact of Information Technology in Healthcare
The healthcare sector is thriving amid challenges and ever-changing needs. The sector has taken a center stage during this pandemic period, and with the help of technological advancements, it has managed to save countless patients. While improving the quality of life and enhancing patient care, the healthcare sector is getting increasingly dependent on information technology. Let’s dig deep in the detail about the impact and applications of IT (Information Technology) in the healthcare sector.
How Information Technology Benefits Healthcare Sector
Electronic Health Record (EHR)
Gone are the days when physicians and consultants kept on writing the patient’s condition and medications on paper. Electronic Health Records have successfully replaced the legacy paper-based records. Be it medical assistants, registered nurses, or physicians, every healthcare service provider has been impacted greatly by the implementation of an electronic health record system.
Nurses and technicians add patient data into a central system and medical billers update the data with diagnostic codes like lab results. It enables patients, doctors, and insurance companies to access records using a few clicks anytime and from anywhere. This digitization of health records can enable healthcare organizations to manage the workflow seamlessly and improve patient care.
Big Data and Cloud-based Applications
Big Data is not a new term in the healthcare sector. The IT solutions company can integrate this technology with electronic health records while developing customized healthcare applications. Big data and cloud-based medical apps have many benefits for patients and healthcare organizations alike. Some of them include-
- Improved Diagnosis and Patient Care
- Prediction of Epidemics and Pandemics
- Enhanced Quality of Life
- Reduced Waste and Healthcare Costs
- Increased Efficiency
- Development of New Drugs and Medications
Cloud-based apps can be the best way to make the most of a lot of data generated by healthcare service centers daily. These apps enable your healthcare organization to provide expandable, flexible, and cost-effective patient care services. Integration of cloud technology in custom software development provides better and safer storage and access to confidential data. The cloud plays a vital role in research by facilitating the sharing of medical information. These days, the healthcare sector utilizes the capabilities and functionality of cloud technology in mobilizing workforces, sharing big data, and implementing the telemedicine concept.
It is fair to mention that big data and the cloud have brought radical changes in the medical landscape.
Healthcare or Medical Apps
Over 95% of Americans have smartphones of some kind and this is a big reason why healthcare service providers contact the IT solutions company. The mobile app bridges the gap between people and physicians effectively and healthcare organizations can transform their processes into more patient-centric operations. Websites and mobile apps enable healthcare professionals to connect with patients in real-time and share necessary information.
Medical apps are significantly useful for rural areas and remote locations where there is a lack of availability of healthcare services. Custom software development has a lot of scope in various areas ranging from management to counseling and diagnosis to support. With advanced Information and Communication Technology (ICT), it is easy to implement telemedicine and telemonitoring system. Also, it is easy to provide services like doctor-on-call or appointment booking using a customized medical app.
Also Read- How Blockchain Technology Can Help Healthcare Sector in COVID Era
Medical apps also promote the concept of mobile health or mhealth. Apps can be easily connected with medical equipment and the patient care system to collect and exchange medical information. What’s more, healthcare apps can have various features based on technological advancements in the domains of IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence), and Machine Learning (ML). The patient’s confidential health data can be securely stored and shared through blockchain technology and other security protocols. The custom software development company can build HIPAA-compliant medical apps to improve communication, review medical and access a patient’s EHR,
Here are the key focus areas of the healthcare sector that can be effectively addressed by custom application development-
- Chronic Care Management
- Diagnostics and Treatment
- Medication Management
- Health and Fitness
- Mental Health and Women’s Health
- Medical Reference
- Personal Health Records
Wearable devices have also opened the doors of new opportunities in the healthcare sector. The sector can leverage the benefits of the growing popularity of wearables through mobile apps. Apart from fitness apps, the healthcare sector can utilize wearable app development to fetch the patient’s data and its analysis for real-time diagnosis.
It is fair to mention that advancing technology can take the healthcare sector to a new level through various applications. Though the sector has to deal with challenges like data security and growing incidents of cyberattacks, the advantages of information technology certainly outweigh the disadvantages.
Information technology has a broad impact on various aspects of the healthcare sector. Various healthcare applications can enable healthcare organizations to reduce medication errors, expand patient reach, improve compliance, decrease ADRs (Adverse Drug Reactions), and enhance patient care services. It is possible to implement a concept like telemedicine through custom software development. As a healthcare service provider, you can hire custom application developers to leverage the benefits of advancing IT.
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