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That is why we will use digital health services

The articles on eClinic's pages are intended as general information and are not suitable for diagnosing your own symptoms. For advice and health professional follow-up, it is recommended to book a consultation, or to use ours Symptom checker.

Why should we use digital health services?

The pandemic has shown us that we are able to digitize more health services. Doctor visits have turned into video consultations. And why should we stop there? The potential of digital healthcare is enormous.

In light of the pandemic and the coming wave of the elderly that will "hit" Norway, it is time to develop more and better digital health services.

Major players such as Google and Microsoft are investing in healthcare technology, and it is time for Norwegian companies to do the same.

Innovative health services

I have recently been involved in the company AMS, which is currently launching the eClinic service. At eClinic, the patient can book an appointment themselves to get medical help from various specialists. They can also get help to assess their symptoms using the Symptom Checker.

eClinic collaborates with Tytocare, which enables patients to observe their own values ​​(such as blood sugar) at home.

With the help of simple equipment and digital guidance, a patient can do much of the examination himself. With a small compact box from Tytocare, eClinic delivers the equipment you need for you and your family's use.

eClinic's solution from Tytocare is a good example of how a simple and affordable package can serve as the emergency room's or GP's extended arm. Used properly, such a solution can provide rapid diagnosis and initiation of treatment. This reduces the need for physical examination.

Implementation of digital solutions in the health care system

To ensure that the implementation of digital solutions in the health care system is successful, one has to think anew:

  • The patient process must be adapted to new solutions.
  • Technical equipment "talks" with the ICT systems in the health service. 
  • The equipment must be made available at low cost, to patient groups with special needs or risks.

Should the patient become his own doctor?

In connection with digital health services, the patient himself will have to do some of the work. Should they become their own doctor? No, that's not the goal. The goal is for patients to receive more efficient services, but they will still maintain high quality.

Therefore, it is important to point out that many of the digital services will function as a "reception". The patient's symptoms are assessed based on information provided by the patient. Triage and preliminary diagnosis can be performed using AI-based tools developed by the symptom checker AMS. Then the KI tool sends the patient further into the system, to a specialist or by giving advice on further treatment.

Another point is that several health services have a long waiting time, such as consultation with a dermatologist and psychologist.

With eClinic's services, patients can skip the long waiting lists. They quickly gain access to high-quality consultation and treatment.

This can be of great importance to those who have major ailments or severe symptoms.

Digital and "analog" services must work together

Although digital solutions can be used for many things, there will still be a need for both consultations with doctors and physical examinations.

  • A patient who is going for a video consultation should, for example, have taken the necessary blood samples and X-ray examinations in advance.
  • A plan should be made for how video consultations and physical meetings can alternate.
  • Patients who are followed up over time should be able to make various measurements that are shared with the doctor. Such a solution already exists for diabetics who measure blood sugar.
  • The patient's registrations should be followed by KI tools that alert the therapist according to given criteria.

If you do not redesign the patient processes together with the patient, there is a risk that the investment will not give the desired results. Then the result will be that the offer becomes fragmented and confusing.

Why should we use digital health services to a greater extent?

There are many obvious benefits to an increase in the use of digital healthcare. Increased convenience and access to healthcare, better results for patients, and a more efficient healthcare system are some of them.

Therefore, players in the health sector should consider making changes that support this shift and improve their future position in the market.

Challenges with digital health services

There are many benefits to using digital healthcare, but there are also some challenges that are important to be aware of.

Patients, on the other hand, are concerned about the safety of these services. Doctors are more concerned about how this will work in their daily lives.

In addition, it is about integration of technology and efficiency. And will it be possible to get a refund for these services? Will they become part of the current exemption card scheme and the employer's health insurance?

Currently, there is also a difference between how many people are interested in e-health services and how many actually use the available services. In order to succeed with digital health services, one must succeed in getting patients to use them. There is still good hope, because in a survey answers 83% of those who had used digital health services during the pandemic that they would like to use e-health services even after the pandemic is over.

What kind of potential lies in digital healthcare?

Digital health services have today been introduced in a somewhat fragmented way in both private and public health services. If, on the other hand, the services are developed and improved, they may become important in several fields in the future:

ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL MEDICAL CARE

Immediate help as an alternative to visiting the emergency room in less acute situations. This can be, for example, an eye infection, influenza illness or allergy. 

With the help of symptom checks and interrogation tools, one can map whether the condition is urgent or requires further examinations.

This way you can reduce the pressure in the waiting room of the emergency room or at the GP.

DIGITAL CONSULTATIONS WITH SPECIALISTS

My vision is that digital services in the specialist health service are brought to a "next level". That is, they create a paradigm shift, where patient processes and logistics are designed for the new reality there: 

  • Digital consultations are the main rule
  • Preliminary examinations are performed close to where the patient lives
  • Assistance in interpreting foreign languages ​​shall take place in a seamless manner
  • The equipment can be used without the requirement to be a «digital citizen»
  • Patients have digital tools and sensors that make it possible to follow up and examine "their" symptoms. They can follow their own measurements and share this with the therapist.

It increases the convenience, availability and continuity of treatment and helps to meet the goal of equal health services for the population.

BETTER ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES

With digital consultations, patients have the opportunity to easily have access to health services outside the provider's office. This can be combined with health stations in the local community where you can get vaccines and take various tests, with subsequent follow-up from your GP through digital consultation.

DIGITAL HEALTH SERVICES IN THE HOME

Digital home services can combine digital consultations, digital surveillance and digital tools to make services more accessible. This can be, for example, training of caregivers, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Daily services such as wound care and assistance in the home will still be performed by a home nurse. But digital home services can enhance the patient and caregiver's experience, make the services more accessible and improve the connection to the care team.

make an appointment

We have more than 100 affiliated nurses, doctors and specialists. We are expanding with new specialties and services for online consultations. Our specialists can also offer a "second opinion."

TREATMENT AT HOME

Digital health services will also be able to enable patients to have various medical treatments administered at home. Then patients can avoid having to travel to a hospital for treatment. This can take the form of symptom monitoring and self-administration of medication or that healthcare professionals administer medication. To ensure patient safety, this will be done in the presence of a doctor via remote monitoring.

What should healthcare professionals do to take advantage of this opportunity?

The first thing players should do is define a value-based roadmap for digital health services. They must use existing data to determine which solutions will increase the quality of health services.

Secondly, an updated strategy must be prepared for how digital health services can be used to create a comprehensive treatment course for patients. Since technology development is happening so fast, it is crucial that the players have an overview of the development. This is especially important in the field of artificial intelligence and new practical solutions with sensors, cameras and more.

In the future, the players must work hard to find out how these services are to be implemented and supplement the current health services. One must stimulate the use of digital services, especially with a view to meeting the aging population.

The players must also ensure that the standard of technology and the analytical basis are raised in order to realize the full potential of digital health services.  

Next step for digital healthcare

Accelerate developments to create a digital "front door" for consumers. Find good solutions that are integrated beyond those that already exist in the market. Some of today's solutions include e-triage, appointments, doctor's appointments and access to digital patient records.

  • The various patient groups must be met with the right treatment and specialist expertise in the field where the use of digital consultations can be scaled and supplemented with home tests and other services in the home.
  • Capacity must be expanded and the use of digital services must be stimulated. Proper workflow, centralized time planning and further education for the actors. In addition, digital services must be covered by the same reimbursement schemes as analogue health services. They must be put in a system that complements the traditional health sector.
  • The value of digital healthcare needs to be quantified with measurement of clinical outcomes, improved access to services, and patient satisfaction to support and stimulate further growth.
  • Updated strategies for further developing e-health services beyond the fact that digital consultations can replace physical doctor visits.

It is now that we must act. The pandemic has shown how relevant digital health services are, and has created a space for modernizing the way we think about health services in the years to come. We can do this if we succeed in implementing digital health services in the already existing service offering on a large scale.

Contact us

Get in touch to learn more about our services and how they can be adapted to fit into different insurance and occupational health services.

Symptom checker

eClinics Symptom Checker is an advanced AI tool with 880 diagnoses. It gives you an overview of possible causes of your symptoms and health problems. You will receive advice on what to do next.

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