As we think about digital
healthcare moving forward into the next decade, it’s easy to forget how far healthcare apps and HIPAA compliant websites have come over the last ten years. Now more than ever
before, consumers are using healthcare apps and HIPAA compliant websites
designed to improve the patient experience. According to Accenture research, 75
percent of US consumers say technology is important in managing their health.
Owning the healthcare journey empowers patients and improves health outcomes.
Despite taking huge strides
forward, the healthcare industry is still plagued by antiquated and inefficient
legacy-based processes. More consumers are embracing digital health, but
unfortunately, medical and healthcare organizations aren’t always adapting at
the same pace. Whether or not healthcare organizations can capitalize on
consumer trends is a perennial question, the answer to which only time will
tell.
The introduction of new
technologies like wearable devices continues to revolutionize the healthcare
space with the advent of fitness and wellness healthcare apps that are
transforming everyday life. As biometric data is transferred from wearable
devices to mhealth apps, consumers have never been better placed to monitor
their health and wellness. These interconnected wearable devices and mhealth
apps are becoming increasingly useful in the clinical space as physicians are
now able to analyze patient data in realtime to mitigate the risk of medical
conditions. An example of this is the Baylor Heart Center’s mhealth app,
developed by Medical Web Experts. The iOS app offers resources to help better manage heart
and vascular health, and enables patients to perform guided meditation
exercises while simultaneously tracking heart rate using an integration with
Apple Watch.
Consumers have so many
outlets to manage their digital health and wellness that it’s easy to forget
the important role played by HIPAA-compliant healthcare websites. For example,
when a consumer feels unwell, they typically go online to understand their
symptoms better. It’s often difficult to gauge whether online content is
reputable. Because of this, we are beginning to see more and more examples of
trustworthy websites that offer consumers well-sourced medical content. At Madison
Avenue TMS & Psychiatry, Dr. David Woo administers transcranial magnetic
stimulation, a non-invasive, FDA-approved treatment for patients with
depression. Medical Web Experts developed a patient-friendly website from
scratch, including a blog with specialized medical content writing. No longer
do patients need to pick up the phone, or visit their doctor in-person, to get
more information about treatments or services. HIPAA-compliant websites help
streamline the process by providing essential answers to frequently asked
questions.
In the end, it’s important
for healthcare organizations to understand why consumers use mhealth apps and
HIPAA-compliant websites now more than ever. Consumers realize they have a
choice. Innovative apps and secure websites provide consumers with the
resources to take control of their health and wellness. Let’s hope that over
the next decade, organizations can capitalize on the advances made during the
last ten years.
