An undercurrent quo, digital healthcare is often the least talked about area of expertise, until the pandemic hit. Our world changes ad no did the future of healthcare.
What was a slow progressing sector of healthcare, was soon a necessity for survival. What people knew so less of, became the only important feature of the sector, and that was the Digital Healthcare.
Fast forward few months, there were hundreds of publications on what telehealth is, what people can do about it, heck someone even wrote on how AI might be the next big hit for Pakistan. So yes, today we are going to explore all the possibilities that came true through the gift of digital healthcare solutions while still facing business adversity amidst corona outbreak.
Telemedicine
There was a boom in what telemedicine looked like almost a year ago. With the pandemic on the peak we saw how the market became more telemedicine oriented than it has ever been. Reason being that it opens up a range of access options for patients.
The technology was a slow growing process a couple of years ago, however once the pandemic hit, made in person visits became problematic and all of a sudden telemedicine was the next big hit.
Virtual Reality
Another often less intrigued topic which gained popularity in pandemic, virtual reality became a necessity during the pandemic. A highly consumer-driven technology, virtual reality became a powerful tool when educational institutes started in cooperating virtual reality in training future doctors, surgeons and even nurses.
Such an advance prospect was highly encouraged and practiced during the pandemic. It is rather also safe to say that many people relied on virtual reality in university institutes to make education more rewarding across the screen. Given how promising virtual reality has been in the last year, more advances can be expected in the coming year.
Operational Improvement
Amidst the pandemic we saw a more focused quality control of healthcare services. There was a great improvement in patient health outcomes, strengthened coordination’s and a careful analysis of how to cut back on the health waste. Operational management becomes one of the most incredible resources when there is an immense pressure from the outsource sector, and this is what we witnessed in Pakistan during the pandemic.
Despite multiple challenges, uncertainty and fear of the disease, Pakistan stood its ground and successfully battled in smoothing out the coronavirus curve. So to say, pandemic has sparked new interests in operational improvement and maybe what could not have been a healthcare priority for years is now going to be a part of something much progressive in healthcare sector.
Big Data Improvement
Last time I checked, WHO was the only reliable resource that counted the numbers right when it came to disease stricken population of Pakistan. The only management that was there before pandemic was through Spreadsheets meaning ‘a recipe for error, inefficiency and of course unreliability’. Luckily understanding the numbers became quite crucial as huge waves of corona struck. Now the numbers are still not as accurate as it should be, but given how a third world country orchestrates, this still happens to be huge milestone of management data.
So What will the Future Hold?
The future seems promising, that a taken, yes. While the services may have been introduced, upgrading, managing and sustaining are the next milestones to be achieved. It also seems that pandemic has not soothed down with the second wave on the rise, but it seems like the future of digital healthcare world will offer richer possibilities, features and services.
Improved collaboration with new innovators and data scientists is required in enhancing digital healthcare sector. However as we look back we certainly have a come a long way and can be hopeful for excellence in upcoming core solutions for Pakistan’s healthcare industry.
