Table of Contents
Key Highlights
It happened almost overnight—the COVID-19 pandemic completely ravished global healthcare networks—driving rapid digital transformation and ultimately transforming how patients and providers connect.
Before the start of the pandemic in 2019, only 5% of American patient consumers had ever used a telemedicine solution or enrolled in a digital health app. In just a few months, new services such as telemedicine platforms, digital patient portals, and remote patient monitoring tools became the new normal, changing the healthcare industry forever.
Digital health ecosystems expanded rapidly to meet the pandemic’s emergency demands and continue gaining traction as patients and providers realize their actual value.
The modern digital health ecosystem continues to expand as healthcare organizations grow their technology stacks, transform clinical workflows, and release game-changing digital products for their teams, patients, and community stakeholders.
In this article, learn more about what a digital health ecosystem is, why healthcare organizations are adopting digital services, and how these new solutions transform care to deliver a better patient experience.
What is a digital health ecosystem?
A digital health ecosystem is a constellation of different applications, web portals, and digital technologies responsible for delivering remote medical services, communicating with patients, sharing data, and providing access to information about community health resources.
The new digital health ecosystem is the perfect touchpoint linking patients, providers, and other community stakeholders. Digital services are always available, and new features such as chatbots and automation allow patients to receive the guidance and support they need without additional human capital expenditure.
During the pandemic, patients were drawn to user interface designs and experiences that could mimic the world-class treatment they received as customers using e-commerce solutions. The digital front door expands patient access and offers the convenience patient-consumers have come to expect.
As providers and patients embraced telehealth, healthcare provider networks realized that digital health applications, web portals, and custom-made apps were the perfect way to meet consumers where they were, using the tools they were already accustomed to. Both physicians and patients love the convenience that digital health tools offer.
In just a few years, community health practices have rolled out a wide array of mobile and web applications to link physicians, patients, and payers, unlike anything the healthcare landscape has ever seen.
Digital healthcare ecosystems are changing the way patients and physicians interact together. As digital health tools expand, immense opportunities are available to improve clinical efficiencies, reduce the cost of care, and deliver better patient experiences.
The Adoption of Digital Health Tools in Healthcare and Medical Practice Settings
While back in 2019, only 5% of the general public had ever used a telemedicine platform to conduct a remote care consultation with a provider, by 2022, more than 80% of Americans have used these services.
Every day more patients and providers use digital health applications to manage their families’ care. Meanwhile, more evidence-based research continues to highlight the immense benefit digital services provide physicians.
How has digital health tool adoption increased between 2016 and 2022?
In recent years, digital health adoption among physicians has increased dramatically across all genders, age groups, and medical practice specialties—the average number of digital health tools a physician uses grew from 2.2 in 2016 to 3.8 in 2022.
Physicians appreciate custom-designed patient portals that deliver the functionality and ease of use they need to enhance their service delivery.
What are the top benefits physicians are reporting with using digital health applications?
According to American Medical Association (AMA) research findings, as of 2022, 93% of physicians claim to see some (49%) or a definitive (44%) advantage in the digital health tools they are using.
When asked what specific benefits digital health tools are offering their practice, most physicians highlighted “improved clinical outcomes” and “improved work efficiency” as top motivators, with 88% of doctors listing these two as very/somewhat necessary to their decision to continue using digital health resources with their patients.
Next generation of digital health solutions
Now, as lawmakers have embraced COVID-19-era provisions such as the changes to HIPAA, there is an even greater need to deliver the next generation of digital health solutions. Rapid advancements in all corners of the medical, healthcare, and pharmaceutical landscape are making extending human life and achievement much easier while reducing the overall cost of care across society.
Striving to build digital health 2.0 means working to deliver true innovation to elevate the medical practice. The industry-wide shifts towards person-centered treatment modalities and value-based care represent rallying points to transform our industry and push our species forward.
Healthcare innovation is one of the most critical areas to direct research and investment because it promises the opportunity to democratize healthcare at scale and help make stronger global communities for all of the Earth’s some 8 billion inhabitants.
The next generation of digital healthcare ecosystems will provide patients, providers, and patients with the tools, resources, and workflows needed to drive better medical outcomes at scale. Implementing the right technology solutions offer the opportunity to create a better experience for all the stakeholders connected to the community health matrix.
Forward-looking digital health solutions allow healthcare organizations to optimize operations, innovate, and deliver competitive products and services. Significant opportunities are available for healthcare, medical, pharmaceutical, and life science organizations looking to release digital solutions to capture market share.
Building a Digital Ecosystem to Deliver a Better Experience for Patients and Providers
While the healthcare industry has been slow to change, the emergency criteria of the COVID-19 pandemic created the perfect opportunity for far-reaching digital acceleration to ignite innovation and transform the way physicians and providers connect.
Meanwhile, it would only be possible to discuss the trajectory of digital health innovation by mentioning telehealth adoption’s tremendous role in linking physicians to their patients in entirely new ways.
Before 2019, when the COVID-pandemic began, telehealth adoption was a tiny fraction of the care landscape, with only 4.7% of the American population having ever interacted with their medical professional using a telehealth solution.
In just a few years, the widespread disruption caused by telehealth is palpable, and patient-consumers have clarified their intentions. The “Amazon Effect” is in no way limited to e-commerce.
Today’s patients demand smooth and seamless digital experiences that match their expectations from using essential online retail, lifestyle, and social media platforms. First and foremost, it is essential to deliver digital health tools that are convenient, user-friendly, and intuitive for a wide range of users to enjoy.
Completing Strategic Investments in Digital Health Applications
Delivering a world-class experience cannot be an afterthought but instead needs to be an operating principle driving the evolution of digital health 2.0. As an industry, we are beginning to realize what is possible and at stake.
It’s essential to deliver highly customizable, user-friendly, and intuitive digital experiences for patients and physicians that empower access, compromising the sacred connection between patient and physician. Healthcare is finally becoming more competitive and starting to treat its patients as customers.
Most modern businesses need to work aggressively to dazzle and delight their customers. Why should healthcare be any different?
Delivering better patient experiences means taking the time to understand consumer preferences and provide highly engaging digital platforms built on human-design principles.
To fuel disruptive innovation and secure the elusive organizational resilience that so many healthcare organizations desperately seek, it’s essential to complete strategic investments in digital health applications.
Create a dynamic digital ecosystem linking patients, providers, and payers. Instead of complicating things, we must find a way to make things more seamless, interoperable, and connected.
The benefits of digital healthcare are clear. Take steps today to secure your healthcare organization’s competitive advantage through digital transformation.
Benefits of Using Digital Health Applications for Patients and Providers
Digital health tools are a vital link connecting patient-consumers to their trusted medical care teams and clinical service providers.
Here are the top benefits of building custom digital health tools to enhance the patient experience:
- Deliver Person-Centered Care: Digital health apps allow patients to take control of their healthcare services, personal health information, and connection to the community health system on their terms. Increased access, flexibility, and the opportunity to enjoy 24/7 connection are significant benefits consumers don’t want to give up in the post-pandemic era.
- Access to More Robust Preventative Medicine: As data-driven health technologies continue to be adopted by patients, their health improves because of the quicker feedback loop connecting them to the best medical insights. Digital tools improve patient medical outcomes reducing the need for more costly emergency interventions.
- Provide Cutting-Edge Healthcare Services: Telehealth services, smart home remote patient monitoring tools, and wearable health monitoring solutions are just a few of the medical device and software tech innovations driving more efficient patient services. Access to cutting-edge medical innovation breaks down barriers to care and ensures even rural and undereserved communities flourish.
Here are the top benefits of building a digital health ecosystem to improve the experience of physicians, hospital admin teams, and other healthcare staff:
- Improved Operational Efficiency: Automation, machine learning, and medical workflow optimization benefit every hospital clinical team and business unit. As services become more efficient, care teams have less manual busy work and more time to deliver world-class care to their patients.
- Better Clinical Workflows: Digital health tools empower healthcare teams to embrace hybrid remote work models that reduce staff stress, overwork, and burnout. Custom healthcare software enhances the work environment and day-to-day experience of medical professionals.
- Build In-Demand Healthcare Expertise: By delivering healthcare teams with the most advanced custom technologies, they harness the skill sets and tools of tomorrow. Physicians with high degrees of digital literacy and an interest in technology will be more and well compensated in the years ahead.
It doesn’t matter where your organization is in your digital transformation journey—our team can help. We are an agile distributed healthcare technology service provider that delivers custom software solutions, augmented teams, and digital product development services.
Ready to Deliver Game-Changing Custom Healthcare Solutions?
At Asahi Technologies, we are passionate about helping our clients across the healthcare, medical, life science, and wellness industries deliver world-class digital experiences to delight their patients, invigorate their providers, and even streamline compliance obligations with payers and government agencies.
Our healthcare technology solutions architects provide everything your organization needs to improve legacy software and smoothly implement new tools as required. We understand the importance of digital health and look forward to helping your organization deliver truly innovative custom healthcare solutions.
Stay ahead of the game with our helpful resources
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Rahul
Chief Solutions Architect
Rahul is a wellspring of wisdom when it comes to driving innovation and improving healthcare services using advanced custom software solutions. He specializes in delivering the technical guidance needed to ensure success across the digital product life cycle. His unique problem-solving approach provides the guidance and strong architectural foundation needed to transform digital health services.
