Healthcare Becomes Tech-savvy

Technology is seen to recommend a solution, predominantly if it results in methods to manage patients in the society and keep them out of expensive hospitals

Manoj Menon

A significant and optimistic development in the Indian healthcare sector is the use of information technology for improvement of healthcare delivery services and improving efficiency levels. Here are some of the trends in healthcare which is around the corner.

Remote Monitoring Patient Systems

The technology and communications system at the patient's home may not cure the patient, but it may help keep the patient alive. The Indian population is having an increased prevalence of chronic ailments that will have to be managed efficiently and effectively. An older population also tends to capitulate to acute illness quickly, and can reach critical condition rapidly. In India, the bed/patient ratio is 0.7/1000 people and every year India needs 80,000 beds per year for the next 10 years. This forces healthcare organisation to take the healthcare to the door step of patients. If health systems are to cope, novel methods need to be developed.

Technology is seen to recommend a solution, predominantly if it results in methods to manage patients in the society and keep them out of expensive hospitals. Primary care is seen as a contributing factor much towards the solution: the patient can be kept in their own home, thus avoiding the hotel costs of hospital; the patient's own caregivers can endow no-cost nursing; and the tangible costs of primary care are often lower than the corresponding service provided from a hospital. Besides, patients prefer to remain in a familiar environment when ill. The hospital bed of the future is your home!

Remote monitoring patient system collates disease-specific metrics from devices used by patients in their homes or other settings outside of a clinical facility. A device typically captures patient readings and then sends them to a server for storage which is later examined by healthcare professionals. Once data is stored in the database or part of electronic health record (EHR), the data can be used in several ways by hospital, clinicians and informal care givers. To monitor chronically ill patients including those suffering from acute diabetes and cardiac disease seem to be a reasonably valuable way to keep them out (and relapse-free) of the hospital. Remote monitoring devices can capture information through wireless (bluetooth, GPRS, etc) or non wireless based systems. Hospitals can have central monitoring systems and can send alert to caregivers, ambulance service, next to the kin or hospitals near to patient. This will help the patient to receive the right treatment at the right time.

Remote monitoring devices usage can be extended to other areas as well - such as advanced pregnancy cases - fetal monitoring systems. Remote monitoring facilitates analysis of all parameters measured for high-risk expectant mother at home, eliminating the need for her to be placed under observation in an ante-natal clinic. Upon getting a suspect outline, the physician can take immediate action based on a precise clinical assessment of the foetus. The device can be used by paramedics to monitor patients en route to the hospital too.

The Role of the Internet

Introducing new technology formats to the emergent patient faction, the online revolution may become the engine driving the next generation of self-care, thereby allowing patients to manage their own health expediently and competently.

The internet will be used as a means for commerce and as a cost-efficient communication standard by the healthcare industry. More and more, the internet's is being harnessed to change healthcare delivery at the patient level. The patients who use the Internet to look for disease/health information are more likely to ask more specific and knowledgeable questions of their doctors.

Most healthcare organisations have a presence on the web in an endeavor to form a brand identity within the community they serve. Use of interactive/e-health solutions will become a competitive weapon.

Deploying Internet technologies to enhance better healthcare means moving healthcare transactions to the web and better web-based disease management within the community. Additional priorities include online patient scheduling, patient health assessment tools and patient access to medical records. These initiatives begin to support web-based disease management as they encourage two-way physician messaging, access to select patient data, electronic transactions and near future electronic medical records.

Mobile Technology

Mobile communication technologies finding their way are more and more into medical devices and both patients and healthcare professionals are glad about the usability and functionality of these new devices. Wireless devices and networks change the methods physicians and caregivers use to bestow services. By using mobile devices, caregivers are able to spend more time interacting with patients, make fewer errors (which in turn reduces costs), and improve care.

Minor changes to regular mobile phones already make them work with healthcare applications, while implants that use communication technology to correct bodily functions - such as pacemakers - are entering mainstream use. There are three types of mobile devices that offer applications in the healthcare field:

• Mobile phones and palmtop computers can be changed for medical use with minor hardware modification.
• Handheld medical instruments like infrared thermometers for temperature measurement and the spirometer for asthma diagnosis. Patient-carried devices (such as pain medication dispensers) or internally implanted devices (such as inner ear implants).
• Medication Management - A patient can receive reminders to take medication using a bluetooth medication dispenser. If the patient has not taken medication after several reminders, an alert with the time and the medicine missed can be sent to their caregiver who can take appropriate action.

A wireless coupled with mobile devices offers the most direct route to improved efficiency and safety at the point of care. With mobile communications and computing devices, physicians are able to access patients electronic health record (EHR), review drug databases, access lab tests and results, prescribe medications; all without paperwork. Caregivers are able to spend more time interacting with patients, make fewer errors, reduce costs, and improve care.

As wireless technology has evolved, so have the many options for enhancing the healthcare applications and functions. Some healthcare decision makers are looking for mobile technologies that promote better and faster assessment, as well as allow them to access patient medical information more rapidly.

The writer is Programme Manager Healthcare Practice Technology Solutions Group HP India
Email: manoj.kmenon@hp.com