EMR

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many pundits have stated that the future of healthcare is virtual care. The beginning of this was demonstrated during that time when the demand for telemedicine increased exponentially. The circumstances of the pandemic – the high admission rates at health facilities and limitations on the movement of people – made it a necessity.

Since then, more people have been opting for this solution which allows them to seek care regardless of geographic location and without having to leave their homes.

Technology is rapidly changing, and health technology is one aspect of the industry that has experienced massive and ongoing changes in just a few years. We are at the point now where there is more and more acceptance of technology as part of our lives and as part of our healthcare system.

We have heard a lot of talk about Blockchain over the last few years in reference to technology and how it can revolutionise data collection, storage, and information sharing.

Many types of health technology software have become available over the last decade and the world is moving swiftly towards digitising healthcare systems. The rapid changes that we have experienced in technology over the last decades have not matched user acceptance. Some societies are slower than others to adopt technology. In these areas, technology penetration is generally low, and people sometimes view new technology with suspicion.

The world is beginning to embrace health technology in a big way. So much so that the global care solutions market has expanded and is projected to continue to experience immense growth.

According to researchandmarkets.com, in 2021, the value of the global care management solutions market was estimated to be $13.2 billion. It is estimated that it will have a compound annual growth rate of about 13.3 per cent and, therefore, should be valued at approximately $27.9 billion by 2027.

What if all of your healthcare providers could view your complete electronic medical record (EMR) before recommending treatment for the individual issue that they may be dealing with?

For example, it is often said that many illnesses can be first diagnosed through dental issues. Things like diabetes, for example, become apparent first in the oral cavity. Similarly, that and other non-communicable diseases can cause issues with the eye.

We don’t often consider the importance of oral health to our overall well-being. The focus tends to be on extracting teeth that have gone bad rather than creating a holistic oral healthcare plan and matching the record and diagnoses to people’s larger health realities. If we are to begin to focus on holistic health and wellness, oral health must be a part of the equation.

With the adoption of electronic medical records and full integration of technology in healthcare, related disciplines like health informatics grew in significance because of the role it could play in driving more modernised, focused and comprehensive care.

I find it quite commendable that the Government is now actively moving towards digitising healthcare. This is the direction in which the world is going, some faster than others, and certainly the direction in which this country must go. The COVID-19 pandemic, if nothing else, has shown us how health events and an unhealthy population can have significant negative impact on productivity and life as a whole.

Technology has been steadily developing in the healthcare industry for more than a decade. Many countries are moving towards full digitisation and interoperability of public and private healthcare facilities to include electronic medical records. Computers, cell phones and apps have all allowed persons to access healthcare and talk to their physician remotely, while keeping track of various aspects of their health.