The course of technology-driven change has been derailed this year by the pandemic. The impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on the economy has been different than anticipated at the beginning of the year, especially in the field of health. Advanced medical research related to immunotherapies, vaccines, social assistance, and healthcare development has shifted to solving the ongoing crisis.
Here are the top five predictions for how the healthcare industry will evolve in 2021, according to Bernard Marr, a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and strategic business and technology advisor to governments and companies.
If it were possible to receive the same level of medical care at home as a visit to a medical clinic or outpatient clinic, would you still go to a hospital? The answer is very likely no, especially for routine consultations or second opinions. During the pandemic, the number of digital consultations has increased and is forecast by Forrester analysts to reach one billion by the end of 2020. It is also estimated that, in 2021, a third of virtual care appointments will be related to mental health.
Telemedicine has the major advantage of reducing the risk of spreading viral and bacterial infections, on the one hand, and allowing medical professionals to have multiple consultations in the same amount of time. This is an important consideration especially in countries where doctors are scarce or in rural areas where transportation to a clinic is time-consuming or expensive.
2. Healthcare is important for business growth
In 2020, in the context of the pandemic, every company had to become a technology-based company. In 2021, every company will learn to become a healthcare company, as protecting employees and customers has become a basic requirement for any business.
Healthcare will include improved biosecurity measures: from sanitization stations to local screening technology and quarantine measures in locations where staff are needed on site. Technology-based innovation will bring us improved safety measures and early warning systems to reduce the likelihood of transmission of contagious diseases.
For some companies, it will still be safer for staff to work from home throughout 2021. In this context, there will be other challenges, such as the need to support the mental health of workers as they juggle responsibilities at home and at work. Without daily face-to-face contact, it will be more difficult for managers to assess whether their teams are overworked or whether they are taking the right precautions to protect their health. Once again, technology will play its part in mitigating these dangers: from health apps that monitor our activity and remind us to take breaks and exercise, to meditation apps and remote therapy services.
You can read the full article here https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/11/23/the-5-biggest-healthcare-trends-in-2021-everyone-should-be-ready-for-today/
