Corporations like CitiusTech are innovating the healthcare industry. Image: via Facebook.
Technology is vital to the future of the healthcare industry. But with so much information out there, what’s the best way to organize and streamline healthcare processes? And what about the argument that automation takes the personalization out of healthcare?
One thing’s for sure: there is more information available than ever before, and the process of organizing and making it accessible has become top priority—not to mention a burgeoning business. Corporations like CitiusTech, whose board includes Cory Eaves of General Atlantic, Rizwan Koita, and other prominent business leaders, specialize in developing and marketing news ways to consolidate, organize, and provide easy access to medical information, whether it’s patient histories or treatment plans.
Other organizations, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, have begun using this sort of technology to give patients direct access to their information online, allowing them to take charge of their own health.
Unfortunately, it’s still difficult to streamline the organization of and access to this information, particularly in populations with a lot of diverse needs. The medical profession has, to a certain extent, coded their clinical content with standard terminology. Effective clinical decision support tools, patient registries, and ways to securely exchange clinical information continue to stymie efforts to make healthcare safer and more affordable.
Then there’s the question of how to streamline processes while still keeping the healthcare experience personalized to the individual. Other businesses do this all the time—the suggested products you find on Netflix and Amazon, for instance. The possibilities for healthcare applications are intriguing as well. With the rise of FitBit-type technology that allows individuals to track their health and wellness, there’s an obvious desire for organizing medical information into personalized treatment plans. In fact, should healthcare facilities be able to personalize treatment plans, the psychology of personalization suggests it will result in more loyal, satisfied customers.
And personalization need not outweigh the importance of some standardization as well. As more healthcare information goes digital, patients are able to take control of their health, while at the same time, standard terminology and procedures can be implemented across the board. Having a personalized treatment plan doesn’t mean you can’t also have standard surgical checklists and treatment regimens.
