The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic & The Rise of Digital Health
The COVID-19 pandemic had long-lasting impacts on the public, leading to unanticipated economic and social consequences affecting countries worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, approximately half of the world’s workforce was at risk of losing their jobs. With many individuals losing their livelihoods, experiencing income loss, food insecurity, and an increase in the cost of living, they struggled to obtain the necessary resources needed to support themselves. Additionally, the pandemic has shown the pre-existing inequities impacting vulnerable populations, reducing their life expectancies, and disproportionately burdening them with chronic diseases and disabilities. This created a sense of urgency for health systems because they needed to provide healthcare to their patients without coming into physical contact with each other. Furthermore, healthcare professionals also needed to ensure that high-risk patients receive the appropriate services they need. Digital health technologies have played a pivotal role in navigating the challenges posed by the pandemic and driving innovation in the healthcare industry. This led to physicians delivering virtual care in their practices as it can address the needs of their patients and improve their workflow, even with the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Adoption of Digital Health Solutions During the Pandemic
As the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital health technologies, this propelled the industry into a new era of innovation and efficiency. Many underserved populations with serious illnesses required attention from healthcare providers but were unable to receive it due to the U.S. health system being overwhelmed with the sudden demand for care from the public. As a result, healthcare professionals needed tools to provide care to their patients without compromising their or their patients’ health. This led to physicians incorporating virtual care into their practices across the state as they quickly began to provide treatments and communicate with their patients using mobile phones, computers, etc. For example, digital health solutions such as remote patient monitoring (RPM) and mobile health apps have enabled healthcare providers to deliver personalized care remotely, improving patient outcomes and enhancing the efficiency of healthcare delivery. Telehealth and virtual visits have also emerged as indispensable tools in the fight against COVID-19, enabling healthcare providers to deliver care to patients while minimizing the risk of viral transmission. After incorporating these solutions into their practices, many physicians expressed enthusiasm for its potential to revolutionize patient care, improve health outcomes, and reshape the delivery of care.
Post-Pandemic Changes in Digital Health
The healthcare industry has undergone rapid shifts, with digital health emerging as a transformative force in patient care and healthcare delivery. With the pandemic highlighting the effectiveness of digital health technologies in healthcare, many practices and organizations continue to use these solutions. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), 54.9% of physicians were working in practices that provide telehealth to patients with chronic diseases. Furthermore, digital health solutions have been recognized to be useful in managing patients’ health conditions and fostering health benefits. During the pandemic, the importance of RPM and chronic care management (CCM) was highlighted as physicians were able to effectively manage patients’ chronic conditions and help reduce the burden on health systems. For example, these solutions allow physicians to continuously observe their patients’ health, obtain valuable insights into their current state, and reduce hospital readmission rates. By enabling proactive interventions and early detection of health issues, RPM and CCM empower patients to take control of their health and facilitate timely interventions by healthcare providers, leading to improved outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. This allowed physicians to acknowledge the advantages many digital health solutions possess and utilize them in present-day practices.
Addressing Global Challenges in Healthcare
The benefits of digital health technologies not only improve the quality of care for patients and enhance clinical workflows for physicians but can also be effective in overcoming barriers affecting individuals on a global scale. Here are some ways digital health can be used to tackle obstacles impacting healthcare:
- Health Equity: The pandemic has revealed social and health inequities that have impacted underserved communities in the U.S. As a result, they are more likely to experience poorer health and have limited opportunities to receive healthcare. This led to health systems recognizing the impacts health disparities have on a person’s life and began to prioritize advancing health equity by delivering care to disadvantaged populations. Utilizing digital health platforms to empower these individuals can increase their knowledge and health literacy and can help them better manage their conditions, leading to optimal health outcomes. Patient engagement, digital health apps, and CCM can assist physicians by allowing them to frequently communicate with patients to monitor their health conditions and become more involved in their treatments.
- Access to Care: Before the pandemic, healthcare access was a significant barrier for many individuals as they lacked the resources and opportunities to seek out assistance. Factors including cost of care, transportation, and poor health had prevented many people from receiving the appropriate treatments they needed and allowing their diseases to progress. However, telehealth and RPM have not only facilitated access to care for patients but also allowed providers to treat their conditions more effectively and improve their health outcomes. This helped patients spend less time traveling by receiving care in the comfort of their homes and increasing appointment show rates while allowing clinics to save their resources.
- Chronic Diseases: Individuals living with chronic diseases are at a greater risk of experiencing adverse outcomes and physical limitations, compromising their quality of life. According to WHO, each year, 41 million people die from chronic diseases worldwide. As the prevalence of chronic diseases is predicted to increase in the future, physicians require tools that deliver proactive care to their patients and effectively manage their conditions. Using RPM, patient engagement tools, and CCM solutions enables healthcare providers to empower their patients to be active in their healthcare journeys and promote self-management practices. This helps to ensure that physicians can receive the right information in their electronic health records (EHR) systems to mitigate their patients’ health risks and avoid unnecessary use of acute care.
- Physician Burnout: The pandemic has placed significant pressure on the healthcare workforce as the U.S. health system was unable to adapt to the rapid changes in healthcare. With poor support systems and a decline in their mental health, many physicians have reported experiencing burnout. The use of digital health platforms can help combat this crisis by streamlining administrative processes, reducing the burden on healthcare providers, and enhancing the overall quality of care.
What Lies in the Future of Digital Health?
Despite the progress in digital health adoption, this is only just the beginning. With the pandemic serving as a catalyst for the widespread adoption of digital health solutions, it has also emphasized the need for equitable access to healthcare and improving the quality of life for individuals. Leveraging digital health technologies enables healthcare professionals to address the health and social needs of their patients and alleviate the burden of their diseases that impact their ability to conduct activities of daily living. According to the AMA, 3 in 5 physicians believe that digital health technology can be helpful for patients with chronic disease and preventative care. Overcoming these challenges can allow physicians to offer greater access to care, improve patient outcomes, achieve new revenue opportunities for their practice, and reduce healthcare costs. Furthermore, empowering physicians with digital health tools to focus more on proactive care delivery for chronic diseases can achieve ideal health goals for patients and act as sustainable solutions for rising environmental issues. Eliminating barriers in healthcare by providing virtual care can allow physicians to provide high-quality care to their patients and advance health equity.
MDLand’s Mission to Empowering Physicians with Digital Health
At MDLand, we are committed to harnessing the power of digital health to transform patient care and drive innovation in healthcare delivery. Through our advanced solutions, we empower healthcare providers to deliver personalized, patient-centered care while enhancing efficiency and reducing costs. As we navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the healthcare industry, MDLand remains dedicated to shaping the future of digital health and improving the lives of patients. Learn more about our revolutionary digital health solutions here and schedule a demo.