Sukhmeet Panesar, Chief Health Officer, and Rahul Pasumarthy Executive Engagement Director – Healthcare and Life Science at Monstarlab, talk to us about how outpatient care is rapidly changing with the latest available technology.
The traditional perception of outpatient care—regular checkups, follow-ups, medication and a hands-off approach to one’s health—is changing. With the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and an ageing population, healthcare systems are under pressure to find more cost-effective ways to deliver care. By enabling better remote patient monitoring and outpatient support we have the opportunity to reduce the need for in-person visits and potentially reduce overall healthcare costs. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, the successful harnessing of data and a renewed focus on patient empowerment, we can make outpatient care a more active, individualised and ever-present companion on our health journey.
As our healthcare systems start to harness more patient data and use it to their (and the patient’s advantage) we will witness the widespread facilitation of the ‘three Ps’ of data in healthcare: predictive prevention, personalised patient care and widespread patient agency.
Predictive prevention
The change from a response-based to a prevention-based healthcare model has been greatly assisted by data. High-risk individuals can be identified and possible health issues anticipated with the help of advanced predictive analytics applied to data collected from electronic health records, wearables and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. As a result, people can receive help earlier, which improves their health and lowers their healthcare expenditures. Predictive analytics can be used, for example, to determine which patients are at high risk for hospitalisation so that preventative measures can be quickly implemented.
Personalised patient care
It is primarily due to the power of data that the era of one-size-fits-all medicine is making way for the era of personalised care. With the help of comprehensive health data such as genetic information, lifestyle factors, comorbidities and previous medical histories, treatments can be tailored to each patient’s needs. Treatment success, patient adherence and overall health outcomes can all benefit from this level of customisation. Data collection and analysis are at the heart of telemedicine and remote patient monitoring which represent two prime examples of remote healthcare delivery that can be tailored to each individual patient’s needs.
Patient agency
Patients can become more engaged partners in their care with the help of data. Individuals are more likely to take an active role in their health care when they have easy access to information that is both relevant to them and based on their preferences.
With these three Ps in mind, we see six interesting themes emerging in the outpatient care space:
1. Enlightened engagement
The first step towards change is to rethink the dynamic between patients and medical staff. Enlightened engagement is becoming increasingly common as a result of the proliferation of digital tools, with unique and mutually beneficial connections being created. One such development that is dramatically altering medical care is telemedicine. The ability to communicate with a doctor without leaving home eliminates travel and waiting time constraints, prioritising the ease and comfort of the patient.
Consider Express Care Online from the Cleveland Clinic. These online consultations allow patients to communicate with medical professionals and get the care they need without leaving the comfort of their own homes. This isn’t generic medical care, it’s care customised to their specific needs.
2. Data empowerment
Next, we have ‘data empowerment’, where information is used to provide individualised treatment. Healthcare professionals can use predictive analytics, machine learning and AI to comb through massive data sets to foresee health patterns, customise therapies and even predict the likelihood of diseases. Potential savings and improved outcomes could result from this preventative healthcare strategy.
The industry leader Kaiser Permanente, an American integrated managed care consortium, already employs sophisticated predictive analytics to flag patients who are likely to require hospitalisation. This allows for more timely treatments and preventative care management and improving health outcomes, while the information developed can be used as a map to better health in the future.
3. Seamless symbiosis
Seamless symbiosis is emerging as we travel further along the path to digitalisation. Wearable technologies, IoT and remote patient monitoring are revolutionising the traditional model of outpatient treatment. These gadgets facilitate communication between patients and medical staff by tracking and reporting on key health indicators in real-time. This way, we may create a healthcare system that is both comprehensive and responsive to patient’s needs in the here and now.
The Guardian Connect continuous glucose monitoring system by Medtronic is a good example of this. Patients with diabetes can now be closely monitored thanks to an all-inclusive glucose monitoring solution that transmits data straight to the healthcare professional. Both the patient and the healthcare professional can be set to receive alerts if glucose levels move outside of acceptable ranges. Here, the continuum of care is created in real-time through the integration of technology and healthcare.
4. Meaningful yet magical Metaverse
As we ’embrace the Metaverse’, a collective virtual shared realm fusing physical and digital realities, we find ourselves in a variety of fascinating new environments. Various health interventions can benefit from the interactive and immersive environment provided by virtual and augmented reality therapy. For example, a patient with stroke therapy needs can engage in everyday task practice within a virtual environment.
XRHealth is a notable case, providing Virtual Reality (VR) telehealth services by utilising the Metaverse as a means of providing medical attention to patients. VR therapy modules, overseen by remote healthcare professionals, are available in a comprehensive virtual environment that can help with a wide range of issues from stress and anxiety to post-operative rehabilitation. The Metaverse is more than simply a technology notion; it also represents uncharted territory in the field of medicine.
5. Human touch
As we move forward on this transformational path, it is essential to keep in mind that healthcare encompasses more than simply physical health. As a result, there is an enhanced focus on mental health in community-based services. More people can get access to mental healthcare thanks to teletherapy and digital mental health platforms, which also place an emphasis on general health and wellness.
Talkspace, an online treatment platform that connects patients with certified therapists, is an excellent illustration of this trend. Talkspace represents the humane development of outpatient care by removing barriers to receiving treatment for mental health issues. When it comes to medical care, mental health is now front and centre.
6. Illuminating information
Information regarding health is easily accessible, democratised and consumable. The focus now is on ensuring that health data is not only accessible but also usable. As a result, patients will be better able to participate in medical decision-making and have fewer unnecessary trips to the clinic.
The Mayo Clinic’s website for patient education, for instance, provides a wealth of resources on a wide range of medical topics written specifically for patients. In a similar vein, resources like WebMD provide users with understandable health articles, symptom checkers, and prescription and supplement information. Patients will be better able to make informed decisions about their health if they have access to such materials.
The outcomes of all these use cases are multifold but we can summarise them into three areas:
- Delivering better patient care and outcomes
- Optimising the cost of care delivery
- Improving the working experience of healthcare professionals and reducing burnout
The exciting future of outpatient treatment
The future of outpatient treatment promises to be more interactive, individualised and patient-centred as we embrace new technologies and the availability of data. This coming together of healthcare and technology will, in turn, create a radical shift in how we understand health and wellness, as well as opportunities to improve care and save money. The time has come for a new age in outpatient care, one in which patients play an integral role, preventative medicine is the norm and wellness is prioritised above all else.