[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Technology is changing the business world in a profound way. Companies from different sectors have already understood that to remain competitive, it’s necessary to invest in technological solutions to improve processes, reduce costs and increase productivity. Thus, promoting digital transformation in healthcare is more than a trend, it is a necessity.
The sector is one of the last to embark on this strategy. Although there was no resistance to technological solutions, they were almost always restricted to the equipment used in the main activity and not in the environment as a whole.
Read on to find out why digital transformation in healthcare is important and how to adopt this strategy correctly!
Why invest in digital transformation in healthcare?
Technology has been shown to make processes much more efficient, regardless of the sector. Thus, when embarking on the digital transformation, hospitals and clinics can improve their diagnoses, procedures and also reduce administrative and operational activities through automation.
All of this contributes to improving care and increasing patient satisfaction. In addition, greater efficiency in carrying out the most diverse tasks contributes to reducing costs and, consequently, increasing productivity.
How to follow the right path?
Every change process needs to be planned and executed in stages to achieve the expected success. So, to adopt an efficient digital transformation strategy in healthcare, consider the following steps:
1. Understand your current situation
That means looking at what you already have, including systems, equipment, patient engagement tools, real-time location systems and telemetry, to name just a few.
When you do, evaluate what is working well and what can be improved. You need a clinical, IT and facilities perspective. Using these three pillars you can get an overview of your company’s current position and, from there, start the transformation.
2. Decide where to start
After assessing where you are, you need to determine where you want to go and, most importantly, where you should start the change process.
Adopting a design thinking strategy can be a good alternative to understand all needs and define the order of priorities.
Then, define metrics such as ROI, team and customer satisfaction index, among others, to be able to assess the impacts of changes. Then, look for technological solutions capable of leading your company to the expected results.
3. Create the implementation roadmap
When adopting new technology, you must be aware of all the processes that it affects to create the best implementation strategy.
All this planning must be documented and all impacted people need to be informed about the changes that their routine will undergo.
In addition, it is of utmost importance that tests are carried out so that everything has been considered correctly.
4. Execute and deliver
Once everything is properly planned, it is time to proceed with the start of the digital transformation in the company. It’s essential to keep the project on track and move towards the initial vision, ensuring compliance with the KPIs.
All results obtained must be documented and communicated to everyone, to keep the team motivated in the initial purpose.
5. Understand that digital transformation is an ongoing process
Embarking on the digital transformation is not a procedure with a beginning, middle and end. It’s necessary to take all steps frequently, seeking to identify problems and opportunities for improvement.
Some examples of digital transformation in healthcare
There are various digital solutions that can bring several benefits to the healthcare area. Check out some of them.
Big Data
Big Data aggregates information about a company by collecting data from different media such as social media, e-commerce, online transactions, financial transactions, etc. Thus, this tool is able to identify patterns and trends for future use.
For the healthcare industry, Big Data can provide several important benefits, including:
- Lower rate of medication errors – by analyzing the patient’s medical record, the software can signal any inconsistency between a patient’s health and drug prescriptions, alerting healthcare professionals and patients when there is a potential risk of medication error.
- Improved preventive care – a large volume of people entering emergency rooms are recurrent patients. Big data analysis can identify these people and create preventive plans to prevent them from returning.
- More accurate staff – predictive Big Data analytics can help hospitals and clinics estimate future admission rates, which helps these facilities allocate the appropriate staff to handle the number of patients. This saves money and reduces waiting times.
Virtual reality
Currently, large hospital chains already use virtual reality technology to treat patients.
This technology can be used to treat chronic pain, anxiety, stroke and more. Other uses include doctors and residents using virtual reality simulations to improve their skills or plan complicated surgeries, etc.
Healthcare companies are starting to embark on digital transformation. Soon, it is expected that there will be a significant change in this sector, with the massive adoption of technologies capable of changing the operation, the environments and the way everything is managed.
If you would like to know more about the process of implementing digital transformation in healthcare, then you will also like to know what Digital Twin is and how this technology can help your company.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_icons][/ultimate_icons][/vc_column][/vc_row]
