In general, digital transformation in healthcare results in better patient outcomes and can significantly lower expenses. This allows for a more focused intervention when necessary while also lowering the workload in the surgery and the demand for services.

Many organizations now have the chance to cut expenses, provide better services, and most definitely, in the healthcare industry, enhance results thanks to digital transformation. West Sussex-based information technology company Optima Systems’ MD, Paul Grosvenor, describes his experiences to date.

For many years, we have worked with clients to execute process improvements across a range of industries. Some of these merely automate laborious and wasteful manual operations; other ones enable the creation of entirely new economic streams. There is nothing new here. We may all benefit from the rich environment that has been made possible by the capacity to provide through the internet and, more recently, to use the cloud.

The healthcare industry’s slow adoption of digital transformation

However, the actual pace of this shift to the cloud and/or internet distribution has been rather modest. As we frequently hear, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” some firms have been reluctant to make the necessary changes due to cost constraints. The industry was waiting for a significant change driver to emerge.

The impact of digital transformation on healthcare

In the UK, we have a sizable healthcare sector that has increased our life expectancy by about 20% over the past 50 years. If you stop to think about it, it’s truly amazing.

The way we dealt with our healthcare providers has not significantly changed since the early years of the NHS before the epidemic.

It was time for a change, but there was once again resistance to putting into practice anything that broke with the conventional way of doing things. A major shift in how things are done is always slow going and challenging to push forward, just like in any large organization.

Suddenly, a chance to implement change presented itself, and perhaps for the first time, everyone was on board. The change was encouraged and eagerly awaited.

Smart devices provide an alternative to going to the doctor

We can all monitor and examine a wide range of health data thanks to technologies that are readily available on the market. The heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, atrial fibrillation, sleep patterns, and overall activity are just a few examples. All of these measures give a patient a thorough picture of their health and can let them know if there are any red flags.

To avoid visits to their surgeon and probable exacerbations or unnecessary trips to A&E, patients can now easily and immediately communicate these essential measurements to their healthcare provider.