By Shannon Flynn
In 2020, health care providers overwhelmingly adopted new virtual tech in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Now, more than a year later, with a realistic way out of the pandemic in sight, virtual health care’s future looks bright. Demand for virtual health care remains higher than in previous years, and many providers seem set on continuing to offer telehealth services, even once in-person visits become safe again.
In 2021, cloud-based technology is likely to further transform the health care industry’s relationship with telehealth and telemedicine services, and significantly impact how practices deliver care and manage health records.
How the Cloud May Shake up Telehealth in 2021
Experts and health care industry analysts remain somewhat divided on how cloud computing in health care could change the landscape in 2021, but most agree that the overall effect will be positive.
David Linthicum, chief cloud strategy officer at Deloitte Consulting, said he believes the cloud will be essential for driving future growth in virtual health care, and the tech will “act as a force-multiplier [that can] advance these technologies exponentially.”
Linthicum, writing for Forbes, noted the cloud’s potential benefits – like faster time to deployment and improved access for rural patients – may make the tech much more practical for health care providers.
However, practitioners will likely need to have a robust virtual strategy to make the transition successfully.
As with many industries, while practitioners can see the pivot to cloud computing in health care coming, few are actively embracing the technology just yet. In his article, Linthicum cited a 2019 survey from Healthcare IT that showed only 7% of healthcare organizations having a “fully executed digital strategy” in place.
These numbers may look different in the pandemic’s wake. The large-scale public health crisis forced many practices to quickly formulate a digital strategy to continue offering patient services. However, it’s possible that many providers aren’t fully ready for cloud adoption quite yet.
Azalea Health, a provider of cloud-based patient management and health IT solutions, announced similar predictions for the virtual health care industry in December 2020.
The company’s analysts, however, focused more on how the cloud transformed the administrative side of telehealth. For example, there will likely be a pivot from on-premises storage of electronic health and medical records (EHR or EMR) to cloud-based storage.
Adoption of cloud-based EHR/EMR technology may help practices handle patient information management and comply with changing program standards, like the switch from the Physician Quality Reporting System to the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System.
How Big Tech Is Supporting the Pivot to Virtual Health Care
Several major players in the tech industry are also gearing up for the transition to telehealth. In October 2020, Microsoft announced that the company’s cloud platform would be available for health care providers by the end of the year. The tech giant has built this platform for easy integration with existing tools the company offers, like Microsoft Teams.
Google and Apple also announced similar plans.
Google will partner with Amwell to develop new, “patient-friendly” telehealth systems that incorporate advanced tech like cloud-based AI and conversational chatbots.
The company also plans to help doctors track patient health at home with wearables and other cloud-connected tech – another potential sign of the pivot away from single sessions toward chronic health management.
Meanwhile, Apple announced in September that it would be working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help improve patient access to telehealth services.
Investment by these companies could make the transition even easier for health care providers, and extend the functionality of existing virtual health care technology.
The Cloud Is on Track to Transform Telemedicine in 2021
Telemedicine is likely to remain central to the healthcare industry well into the future. For healthcare providers, the services and features that the cloud makes possible will be essential.
Remote patient monitoring, improved access for rural patients and new, AI-improved tech may all help providers reach more patients and offer better long-term care.
##
About the Author
Shannon Flynn is a tech writer who covers topics like cloud computing, business technology, and data. You can find her work on Hackernoon, Cybint Solutions, Irish Tech News, and ReHack.com. Visit ReHack for other trending tech topics covered by Shannon.
