With the development of some AI innovations in healthcare, with a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACT), the adoption of AI diagnostics is anticipated to accelerate through 2022. The repeal will likely increase patient demand for more lowering healthcare costs in the wake of rising premiums. Telehealth plays an important role in making healthcare affordable. Healthcare systems integrating telemedicine services throughout their clinical operations brought a great change. Hospitals have started doing this by getting most of their telehealth needs outsourcing to a single service provider for increasing effectiveness.

98% of times, patient outcomes are based on factors that occur outside the physician’s premises. This explains the impact of telemedicine on the future of healthcare. 

What are the key HIT trends set to impact patient care?

Studies show future-ready patients don’t just want to test the waters but are ready to be telehealth users – going for assessment, support, and even therapy using video and other digital means. Over the next two years, telehealth will soon approach the $1 billion mark in annual investments by fulfilling some critical patient care needs.

Look at the three areas where HIT trends are going to make a great impact:

The emergence of Telemental health for home therapy

Telemental health has witnessed an increase in acceptance rates in the rural US. Leading therapists say patients are showing greater interest in using digital screens to see them instead of personal visits. As an alternative to in-person sessions, it will hold a prominent part in a mixed-bag of therapies. In a well-known survey conducted by Mercer, it was found that close to 59% of large employers offered insurance that covered telemedicine services. To leverage this opportunity, all major telehealth companies are expected to create specialized offerings for mental health too. Such programs are expected to soon override physical visits to psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers in the coming years.

Healthcare plans encouraging virtual visits for senior citizens

Though still developing, virtual visits for seniors are about to take off in a big way. Objection to technology and new medical practices has become old-fashioned. Seniors are coming forward to experience nursing programs that help in remote diagnosis, treatment, and prescriptions for more than 60 common conditions like sinus, bladder infections, etc. Many service providers have already started informing seniors about these programs by reaching them through social media.

Growing demand for home-based vital-sign devices

Startups are anticipating bringing many new device innovations within the patient’s reach. These include home lab testing devices that are capable of remote managing even chronic patient care. These devices will allow clinical staff from one facility to see and treat patients in other locations with absolute ease. The industry will also observe an explosion of downloadable digital apps for providers and patients combined. Patients will get to experience low-cost and almost instant lab tests that will allow them to get results straight away. Using computer analytics future devices will also make suitable recommendations for preventive care to patients. With telehealth become cheaper, it will expectedly play a major role in the growth of small-scale health providers as well. It will help transform traditional bricks and mortar operations to bring more patients under their fold at much lesser costs. Here once again, they will look to outsource selection, installation, management, training, and maintenance of telehealth equipment while they would focus more on patients.

Overall, healthcare IT is headed towards a future based on automation and AI. Although consumers are yet to fully understand how robotics and big data will help them make decisions.