Published on Aug 18, 2023
Updated on Sep 19, 2023
The U.S. has witnessed an incredible transformation in the digital healthcare ecosystem in the last few years. Powered by technological advancements and data analytics, digital health is revolutionizing how healthcare services are delivered, accessed, and managed. From telemedicine and wearable devices to electronic health records and health monitoring apps, digital health solutions are creating a new era of personalized, efficient, and patient-centered care moving towards a value-based experience.
The current scenario
The latest report released by the Peter G. Foundation states that U.S. per capita healthcare spending is 2 times higher than the average of other wealthy countries.
However, when it comes to standard health metrics like life expectancy, infant mortality, and unmanaged diabetes, the USA is still way behind. There may be several reasons behind this:
Fragmented Healthcare System: The US healthcare system is highly fragmented, with multiple private insurers, providers, and government programs. This fragmentation can lead to inefficiencies, lack of coordination in care, and challenges in accessing healthcare services, especially for vulnerable populations.
Lack of Universal Healthcare Coverage: Unlike many other developed countries, the US still needs a universal healthcare system. While efforts have been made to expand access to healthcare through programs like Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), millions of Americans remain uninsured or underinsured, leading to delayed or foregone medical care and poorer health outcomes.
Lifestyle and Behavioral Factors: Unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, and substance abuse, are prevalent in the US population. These lifestyle factors contribute to chronic health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, impacting life expectancy and overall health.
Overemphasis on Treatment over Prevention: The US healthcare system has historically focused more on acute care and treatment rather than preventive care and public health initiatives. A shift towards a greater emphasis on preventive measures could potentially improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs in the long run.
The Solution:
In order to address the above challenges and bridge the existing gap in the ecosystem, technology could give much-needed support to improve customer and provider experience.
Comprehensive Healthcare System to increase operational efficiency
To create a smooth patient experience, healthcare stakeholders need to move away from working in silos and instead work together to have more visibility over every step of the customer journey.
Mantra Labs developed a digital solution for mLinkRx that Digitized all specialty medication processes using digital forms along with capturing eConsent from Health Care Providers and patients using the OTP verification process. There’s also an in-built solution for converting pre-printed hard copy form to an editable PDF form.
Preventive Care
Healthcare is moving towards preventive care. With an increase in the use of IoT and predictive analytics, health, and wellness platforms are helping people track their current health status, set goals, and suggest lifestyles to prevent disease in the future. They can also provide access to health coaches, nutritionists, and other health professionals online to help users reach their goals. Additionally, many health management platforms offer incentives and rewards for users who achieve their goals, such as discounts on health insurance premiums or other bonuses.
Mantra Labs recently helped one of India’s largest general insurance companies integrate telemedicine solutions into their health and wellness platform. This integration helped the customers directly order medicines from their nearest pharmacy, manage prescriptions, and, search for the best promotional and subscription deals on their pharma needs.
Patient-centric Platforms
With a plethora of information available online and better connectivity like 5G coming into the picture, be it millennials or Gen Zs whose lives revolve around technology, data consumption has become at an all-time high. They need everything at their fingertips. Enterprises need to focus on developing patient-centric mobile apps to improve customer experience (CX) and offer digital touchpoints across the entire healthcare value chain covering pre-hospitalization, in-hospital, and post-hospitalization experience. This will give complete visibility to the patients and a seamless customer experience.
The Way Forward
The digital health ecosystem is reshaping the healthcare landscape in the United States, bringing forth a multitude of benefits for patients, healthcare providers, and the overall healthcare system. Telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, electronic health records, health and wellness apps, and advanced analytics are transforming the way healthcare is delivered, leading to improved access, efficiency, and patient outcomes.
As technology continues to advance, a well-connected digital health ecosystem will play an increasingly vital role in driving innovation and revolutionizing healthcare in the USA and beyond.
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