Omri Shor, co-founder and CEO at Medisafe, shares his digital health predictions for 2022.
As we look ahead to 2022, it’s clear that 2021 brought its own unique challenges, especially in the healthcare world.
We saw an increased push into future technology and advanced use of digital platforms even as patients started to return to more traditional in-person healthcare settings.
Much of the focus of 2021 remained on COVID-19 and health care systems continuing to adapt to an increasingly difficult environment. Going into 2022, the push to amplify and embrace technology will undoubtedly continue, but there are some unique challenges that also present new opportunities to transform patient care through digital health. Here are five predictions for 2022.
New technologies to monitor and treat COVID-19
Despite significant advances in treatment and technologies to protect against COVID-19, the deadly virus looks to remain an ever-constant threat with new variants developing across the globe.
Luckily, digital health is helping to advance awareness faster. Data has been a critical tool for monitoring and controlling the spread of the virus. With that in mind, expect new technologies and enhancements to help track vaccination rates, observe localized outbreaks, and support new treatments for COVID-19.
Increased patient involvement and transparency
The issue of patient engagement and improved transparency will become a bigger focus in 2022. Patients are becoming more involved, more aware, and demanding more visibility into their treatment. And this extends beyond just diagnosis, with patients becoming engaged in treatment and the tools and medications used in their entire health care journey.
In addition to being more involved in their treatment, patients also want simplification of the healthcare experience. Health literacy is a key part of the patient’s experience, and providers need to be working to make sure their patients are involved and really understand why they are on a certain treatment plan.
Tech companies are working to make the process more seamless with fewer paper forms, more connectivity among providers, and greater engagement in patients’ healthcare journey. This desire to be more informed underscores the growth of the health tech industry and what is driving more patients to adopt digital health tools in record numbers.
Greater investment into digital patient tools stand to deliver the greatest benefit to the healthcare industry in 2022. Many patients leave their doctor’s office with questions about their treatment and turn to the internet first for guidance. By investing in digital patient tools, pharma can deliver the necessary support to reinforce medication adherence and help patients stay persistent on treatment longer.
Holistic technology for the patient journey
Healthcare is often fragmented and disjointed, with many interaction points for patients. While there are many digital health tools designed to treat single conditions such as diabetes or hypertension, from our work with more than 8MM patients, we know that most patients don’t just suffer from one condition or ailment. Providers, patients, and partners are looking for a way to decrease the disconnect with a single platform that unites all these elements into a digital tool that engages patients, keeps them informed, and helps track their progress toward improved health outcomes.
Patients are gravitating toward tools that can offer holistic support for their complete health overview. On top of that, patients want digital health tools that encompass their full lives, including stress management and financial support that are often needed for those living with a serious health condition. In 2022, longitudinal digital platforms will expand to help patients track their treatment journey over a long period of time. Whether deployed from the physician’s office or from a pharmacy, digital platforms help deliver support and guidance in ways that are far better than most patient portals.
More M&A to support digital health growth
The convergence of health and technology is a hot industry, with billion-dollar support from some of the largest names in Silicon Valley. As Apple and Google increase their presence in this field, along with the hundreds of other upstarts, 2022 will see even more M&A to help support the growth of a digitally connected ecosystem.
Amazon has been a major player in the industry, creating health at home advancements, upending the pharmaceutical delivery space, and powering many healthcare systems with their AWS network. The new year may bring Amazon moving into the traditional healthcare system space, becoming either a network or payer, or even establishing itself with Amazon-branded hospitals. As consumers adopt more of the on-demand, get-it-now approach to services, patients hold the same expectations for medical care and are looking to non-traditional sources to deliver.
Caregivers gain traction via digital technology
The issue of caregiver support is a growing area of interest, with more patients engaging designated caregivers and advocates to help provide support. As more baby boomers age in place, Gen X reaches middle age, and support is needed to care for a generation that is living longer than ever, caregivers are turning to digital platforms to ensure care delivery.
New digital health and remote patient monitoring is enabling caregivers to offer support and monitor a patient’s journey. This is an area where more digital platforms are investing in and expect 2022 to offer enhanced tools and capabilities to support caregivers.
