THE GLOBAL DIGITAL HEALTH MODEL IS HUGE – VALUED AT $ 211 BILLION IN 2022 AND SET TO GET BIGGER .
D I S S E C T I N G B U S I N E S S outcomes while assuaging public concerns and the need to create a regulatory framework that does not unduly stifle innovation .
While we are seeing nations around the world begin work on implementing the necessary regulatory guidelines , such as the AI Act in the EU , or the recent Action Plan released by the FDA in the US , this does place a burden on those developing AI-driven solutions , as obtaining the necessary regulatory approval can be a long and costly process .
Ease of use
Digital solutions like AI and Machine Learning have so much to offer the healthcare sector , but to be truly effective , they must provide a positive user experience to both healthcare professionals and patients .
The majority of healthcare providers simply do not have the technical expertise or resources needed to develop , implement and integrate complex digital solutions into their existing working landscape .
To increase both engagement and uptake , digital health solutions must be user-friendly and intuitive , with clinicians and other healthcare professionals given effective training to adapt to these new systems . Both a lack of clinical engagement and inadequate resources are two often-cited areas that prevent better integration of otherwise promising digital solutions . These are important challenges to address , as they can have a large impact on patient safety , as well as data quality and governance .
From a patient perspective , ease of use is also of utmost importance , especially in regard to creating better health equity . If powerful digital solutions are to be adopted patientside , the healthcare sector must tackle the challenges of technological literacy , unequal access to the internet and issues around language dependence . Issues of equity must be woven into the core design of digital healthcare solutions .
Interoperability
Healthcare is a complex area , involving multiple entities from clinics and hospitals to laboratories and pharmacies , each with its own data formats and systems . For digital
THE GLOBAL DIGITAL HEALTH MODEL IS HUGE – VALUED AT $ 211 BILLION IN 2022 AND SET TO GET BIGGER .
solutions to be effective on a larger scale , they must be able to be seamlessly integrated across multiple systems and smoothly interface with each of them .
Known as interoperability , the seamless exchange of information across core clinical systems is key to improving the safety and efficiency of digital healthcare solutions and more easily integrating products and solutions into the existing healthcare infrastructure . Not only can this be a challenge to achieve , but the adoption of standard healthcare data systems and models is necessary for further innovation and development of digital health solutions .
Developers of such solutions must address the issues surrounding interoperability and the need to adhere to healthcare and regulatory standards , or risk ending up with patient data that simply cannot be used or requires extensive cleaning up . In short , they must find a suitable balance between interoperability and the security concerns that come with vast amounts of confidential clinical data . There is a clear need for pioneering players within the digital health space , who will continue setting standards that address both interoperability and regulatory concerns .
Conclusion
Digital solutions have huge scope for applications within healthcare that can improve patient outcomes , accuracy and treatments , as well as clinician experience and cost-efficiency . However , their successful implementation requires careful regulation and evaluation of both the technical and ethical aspects of these promising technologies . �
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