Few people would rate a doctor’s office visit as one of their more enjoyable experiences. That’s why, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has grown in popularity. Since it enables video or phone appointments, doctors are increasingly able to “see” patients by computer or smartphone.
Medical technology is taking another step beyond telemedicine, with digital healthcare as the next scientific frontier. The aim of digital healthcare, argue businesses trying to get into that space, is to increase the quality of care for patients while lowering costs.
UTAH IS BECOMING A HUB FOR HEALTHCARE INNOVATION
Recent months have seen significant growth in digital health efforts. October saw the launch of the Walmart Healthcare Research Institute. The WHRI will focus on inventions and medications that aim to increase access to research for safer, high-quality healthcare. Since the announcement of the WHRI, Walmart has launched MyHealthJourney, an entirely online tool that lets patients see their medical and insurance records in a centralized fashion.
Walmart additionally hopes to begin clinical trials that will be more representative of the population at large than past digital healthcare pushes. Considering a Walmart is within 10 miles for 9 out of 10 Americans, the company can offer a wide range of solutions for 90% of patients a quick car ride from their homes.
But for some, leaving home isn’t always an option. For these patients, virtual reality may come to the rescue. Enter, the metaverse.
The metaverse, a part of the organization Meta, formerly known as Facebook, marries three tech innovations — artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality — to create new means for healthcare delivery aimed at decreasing costs and providing high-quality care. Through these technologies, the metaverse hopes to bring together patients and providers in virtual settings and introduce an online, encrypted ledger of information as a new method of medical record management, commonly known as a blockchain.
Often associated with cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology would permit a patient to have highly secure, direct access to their medical records, and data entry can be done in a centralized manner to avoid duplication, errors, and other adverse events. Because health records are commonly held on massive servers, the chance for stolen data is considerable, and for those who need to access their data, good luck.
Together with these technological advancements, the metaverse may have the ability to improve telemedicine access. And that could expand research through a virtual reality that can simulate the operation and treatment of patients.
Yet, Meta and Walmart face another competitor in the space of innovative health: Amazon, though it has failed to find as much success.
Three years after offering its pilot primary care services to employees, which provided telehealth services in all 50 states, Amazon is set to end Amazon Care after Dec. 31, saying the program was unsustainable and a short-term solution for customers. Simultaneously, in mid-November, Amazon completed its $3.9 billion deal to buy One Medical, a virtual care option for commonly shared conditions, including allergies and migraines. The service will be offered in 32 states through a secure portal to provide common prescriptions and offer treatment options. To receive care, patients must complete a questionnaire that will connect them with the appropriate physician in a message to determine if a condition is treatable through their online service.
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Despite clear advancements in health technologies, some regulators are concerned about how well these systems will integrate. If these corporations close their healthcare doors, privacy concerns may arise for those with ownership or access to vital and private health records.
Nevertheless, digital healthcare is here to stay.
