2021 healthtech predictions – the experts have their say
There’s no doubt that 2020 has been a challenging year for the healthcare sector. The ongoing pandemic has put additional pressure on a system that was already drastically stretched and under resourced.
Throughout this time of devastation, those working within the healthcare space have admirably in order to ensure that the population can continue to access potentially life-saving treatment. As a result, recent months have witnessed a renewed focus on the adoption of modern technologies.
With the first Pfizer vaccinations beginning to be administered in the UK, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. However, the backlogs that have formed in recent months mean that the road to recovery is likely to be a long one.
With modern technologies set to continue to play a key role moving forward, we spoke to five experts to get their take on what next year might bring. Here’s what they had to say:
Diana Nole, executive vice president and general manager, healthcare at Nuance Communications.
We’ll see an increased availability of and demand for AI-driven clinical decision support solutions
“The urgent need for information to drive diagnosis, treatment, and other clinical protocols related to COVID-19 has resulted in unprecedented global sharing of medical knowledge. Next year, we can expect that trend to broaden across clinical areas to capture the benefits of improved access to clinical intelligence.
“IT vendors will expand the availability of AI-powered analytics tools that make it possible to tap the potential clinical and research value of vast volumes of healthcare data generated daily. We also will see increased adoption of solutions that deliver workflow-integrated, real-time AI for clinical decision support at the point of care. This will be a significant element in providing better care and financial outcomes, improving patient and clinician satisfaction, and reducing physician burnout from administrative workloads.”
Justin Hall, VP & GM EMEA, iRhythm Technologies
There will be a continued focus on evolving streamlined services
“Earlier this year, as NHS Trusts struggled to deal with the first wave of COVID-19 cases, the majority of non-essential appointments were – understandably – put on hold. In addition, many patients actively avoided seeking medical attention in person, through fear of catching the virus, or in an effort to avoid putting additional strain on healthcare resources. As a result, we saw an immediate shift towards telemedicine, with video consultations, direct-to-patient shipping models, and remote care quickly becoming the new normal.
“In 2021, digital-first primary care will evolve even further. With the healthtech industry accelerating to meet higher demand, and a backlog of patients continuing to build, the sector will be forced to consider new ways of minimising strain, without compromising on care. Fortunately, modern technologies are being researched and developed at an unprecedented rate, with innovative companies creating solutions that address multiple needs and challenges. Patients will still have access to the same level of expertise and services, while medical practitioners will benefit from a more streamlined approach.”
John Phillips, general manager, EMEA at Zuora
Monetisation will enable the explosion of telehealth services
“Telehealth services proved an essential tool this year, enabling healthcare providers to continue to deliver treatment and improve patient outcomes remotely, becoming a lifeline for many. By monetising with a usage or recurring subscription-model, digital telehealth businesses benefit from ongoing data collection and feedback to improve patient services and even personalise them. In 2021 we expect the industry to heat up more as the "patient experience" becomes a competitive advantage.”
Tracey Lethbridge, head of UK public sector at OpenText
Data will become key to delivering higher quality patient care
“This time last year, no-one could have predicted just how challenging 2020 would be, especially for our healthcare sector. More overstretched than ever before, the NHS has undoubtedly been at the forefront of fighting the COVID-19 crisis. In some areas, the need to adapt in order to contain and control the virus has resulted in much needed innovation.
“However, with new models of care emerging and evolving all the time, it’s become increasingly clear that the NHS will need to continue adopting more effective ways to manage and share data between organisations, geographies, systems and individuals. Through the creation of a ‘one patient, one record’ environment, NHS clinicians will be able to access the necessary information more easily – regardless of where it is or what form it is in – to more effectively commission and monitor services that reflect patients’ needs. Lack of a uniform digital approach to information management can lead to delayed treatments, increased waiting times and overworked healthcare professionals. Most importantly, without accurate and accessible data at the point of care, a patient's life could even be on the line.
“Ultimately, accurate and timely patient data is at the heart of delivering high quality care, both during and after the current pandemic. In order to achieve patient-centricity, healthcare organisations will need to create a complete view and understanding of the patient. This requires being able to take data from any source and deploy it effectively within operations. As such, we anticipate a far greater focus on interoperable data platforms in 2021, enabling healthcare organisations to gather all data from people, systems and devices to establish a complete view of the patient and improve patient care as a result.”
Dr. Jason Lee, director of The Open Group Healthcare Forum
Accurate and secure information sharing will be key to enable mass vaccination roll-out
“The sharing of accurate, meaningful, and secure health information among many diverse public and private sector organisations will be vital for enabling countries to roll out COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Plans in 2021. This means we’ll see requirements for health information interoperability extend well beyond traditional concerns around compatibility between electronic health records used by healthcare systems and providers.
“A common monitoring system for immunisation information must be agreed by key vaccine distribution and administration organisations – and on-boarding and training programs must be provided. This way, countries across the world will be able to successfully vaccinate hundreds of millions of citizens.
“Crucially, the agreed monitoring system must be based on common terminology. This will allow it to track vaccine supply, identify who receives recommended doses of vaccine, design key communication outreach to subpopulations, and collect and analyse safety and efficacy data via pharmacovigilance surveillance.
“Open standards are key for meeting these needs, which is why The Open Group is developing a Mass Vaccination Plan standard early next year. This will be globally relevant and identify the core capabilities needed to ensure that populations receive a safe and effective vaccine.”