The healthcare sector is undergoing a huge transformation. The way healthcare is consumed is undergoing a radical change. Consumers want to take more control of their health and be involved in decisions that impact their health. The entire ecosystem is moving to a value-based care model that rewards hospitals for quality care from the existing one that is physician-centered and modeled around units of activity rather than the quality of the outcome. The fundamental difference would be that in the new model, the providers are rewarded for preventive care and patient wellness compared to the one that profits from sick.

The hospital of the future will be very different from the one that exists today. A typical thought of the hospital today is a huge concrete building in the middle of a city with expansive waiting areas and an army of patients waiting outside the OPDs for their turn. This is the first thing that technology is changing. With technology, patients do not need to visit hospitals for every consultation. Patients in the future will simply use the mobile app of the hospital, answer a few questions related to symptoms, an AI algorithm will predict the needs of the patient and guide them to a page with the list of doctors. Using the app's scheduling engine, they can simply select an appropriate date and time, pay the fee through the payment gateway linked to the app, and set up a video conference with the doctor. During the consultation, the doctor uses Augmented Reality based visualizations to engage with the patient based on the case. The doctor can write a prescription, which the patient can send to the pharmacy through the app and get the medicines delivered at home. The app will show reminders every time the dosage is due to help the user with compliance. Any non-compliance will get automatically reported to the treating physician. 

With remote health monitoring already in use, patients simply have to use a small device linked to their phones that can help them monitor their blood glucose levels with a small prick. The sensors on the devices help monitor blood pressure and store the results in the cloud, which can be accessed by their physicians, subject to security and access control. Other lab investigations, if any can be auto-scheduled. Any follow-ups with the doctor are scheduled automatically in the calendar. For cases that do require a physical check-up, patients pre-schedule their visit and arrive just at the time of the appointment in an almost one-in-one-out fashion. The waiting areas will be the first casualty in the process. This saves time for the patient as well as the doctor while also ensuring optimum utilization of the fixed resources of the hospital and makes care truly boundaryless.  

More surgeries will become robotics driven and a lot more efficient. It is being said that by as early as 2030, most of the complex surgeries will be done by robots. Medical education is already undergoing a change with robotics being introduced as a subject in higher medical education. This will see even a further push. The doctors will have to train as proficiently in technology and robotics as well as they do in medicinal science. Surgeries by robotics will ensure much better accuracy and hygiene control with far less tissue damage during the surgical procedures, which ultimately will lead to shorter hospital stays. In fact, in most of the surgical procedures, the hospital stays will be cut by over 60%. Better infection control also ensures fewer readmissions. 

Patient education will play all the more important role. With Augmented Reality and 3D applications, surgical procedures can be visualized and be accessed by patients in the hospital's mobile app. This visualization will help them understand the procedure and engage in a meaningful conversation with the doctors. This also dispels myths or doubts, if any for the patient and develops an enhanced comfort level. The visualizations are not only important for surgical procedures but also for general discussions between the doctor and the patient. 

The current operating model is undergoing a huge change and care has to be more accessible, boundaryless, and technology-driven. It becomes imperative for the hospitals to leverage future technologies including mobile apps, cloud, and data analytics in order to extend care beyond the traditional healthcare facilities. Hospitals must invest now in the future to remain ahead of the curve and embark on a journey to transform themselves. 

Innovantes helps leading healthcare and hospital chains reimagine the patient experience. Our strong domain expertise in healthcare enables us to deliver transformational technology solutions to help our clients navigate their digital journey. We have helped Fortune 500 healthcare companies develop advanced cross-platform mobile applications with Augmented Reality and video conferencing capabilities, custom web solutions, patient scheduling & appointment engines, and patient education & engagement solutions. Reach us on how we can help you navigate your digital journey.