3 Digital Health Trends Transforming Outcomes in 2024 and Beyond
The healthcare industry has taken a significant leap forward in digital healthcare innovation in the past year, and it’s not stopping any time soon. Digital innovations are revolutionizing patient and physician support systems, with a notable surge in the digitization and automation of healthcare services.
As we step into 2024, these advancements will continue to shape the future of healthcare. In this blog, we’re leaning on our deep healthcare industry expertise to bring you the top trends we expect to see more of in 2024. From productivity-enhancing digital tools to groundbreaking strides in alternative care models, we’re taking a look at how digital health is empowering patients and transforming the healthcare industry.
Plus, learn how utilizing KORE1’s healthcare IT workforce solutions allows you to effectively integrate the latest digital health technologies into your operational framework, enhance your service offerings, and improve patient outcomes. Let’s dive into the trends.
AI and Digital Technologies are Still Enhancing Patient Outcomes
The healthcare industry is making a significant shift towards improving patient outcomes and reducing costs, a change largely driven by the adoption of AI and other digital technologies. AI has the remarkable ability to rapidly analyze vast amounts of health data, providing insights and solutions to complex challenges almost instantaneously.
In healthcare, where timely and accurate answers are crucial, the combination of AI’s speed and human empathy will greatly benefit patient outcomes, even as patients eagerly await these vital answers.
One example of a balanced AI-and-healthcare-worker relationship is in diagnostics. AI algorithms, through machine learning and pattern recognition, can match or even surpass human experts in diagnosing diseases from medical images and testing data. However, you still need medical professionals to verify those results.
A recent study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research tested the diagnostic skills of ChatGPT. Researchers fed 36 clinical vignettes into the program and found that ChatGPT was 77% accurate when making final diagnoses. That said, ChatGPT’s diagnostic accuracy dropped to 60% when the information from patients’ initial interactions with doctors were limited.
Though ChatGPT and other language learning models obviously aren’t replacing doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals anytime soon, they have the potential to become a great medical tool. Especially with patients expecting on-demand diagnosis and treatment, this technology allows medical professionals to provide more detailed and definitive answers at the point of care (like getting your lab results back within hours instead of days).
Personalized and Predictive Care Through Genomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics
Healthcare has been shifting towards more personalized and predictive care paths for a while now, but in the years ahead, we expect to see it significantly driven by advances in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. The field is continuing to distance itself from the traditional one-size-fits-all approach, pivoting instead to treatments and prevention strategies tailored to an individual’s unique biological makeup. Collectively, these three key pillars are revolutionizing the way we approach diseases and empowering patients with care options specifically designed for their unique genetic and molecular profiles.
Genomics
Genomics, which studies an organism’s entire DNA, is enabling more precise disease diagnosis and tailored treatment plans by understanding genetic predispositions. The declining cost of genomic sequencing, dropping from $10,000 in 2001 to around $600 in 2022, has made personalized medicine built from that data more accessible. Providers can use the technology to quickly identify genetic predispositions to certain diseases, enabling earlier and more targeted interventions.
For example, many recent studies have demonstrated how genomic data can be used to tailor cancer treatments based on the genetic mutations of an individual tumor. In fact, AI is unlocking revolutionary genomic treatments. Some researchers are using genomic data to measure the number of mutations in a tumor in the hopes of fine-tuning treatments that boost the immune response or help create personalized cancer vaccines.
Additionally, genomic methods are increasingly used to monitor how well treatments are working and to understand why some cancers become resistant to treatment.
Proteomics
Proteomics, examining the vast array of proteins in the body, is enhancing our ability to understand disease mechanisms at a molecular level. Advances in mass spectrometry technologies are leading to the development of more effective, targeted therapies in biomarker discovery, drug discovery, and oncoproteomics.
Metabolomics
Metabolomics, the analysis of the unique chemical fingerprints that cellular processes leave behind, can be used to personalize nutrition and lifestyle advice through real-time metabolic data. A recent study showed how metabolomic profiling could provide insights into metabolic diseases and help in developing personalized dietary recommendations to prevent or manage these conditions.
Hospitals Are Going Virtual With Remote Monitoring, Telemedicine, and Data Analytics
Virtual hospital wards will continue to grow in popularity, using technology like remote monitoring and telemedicine to take care of patients outside the doctor’s office. Instead of staying in a hospital, patients can be monitored at home using wearable devices. This means fewer trips to the hospital, which is not only more convenient for patients but also helps catch health problems early. It’s a win-win—patients get more control and comfort, and it costs less for both parties.
Not to mention, virtual wards will provide already overburdened hospital staff with some much-needed relief, giving them more time in their days to focus on critical in-person care. The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has already seen great success with this approach, and we’re likely to see a lot more of it in 2024.
How KORE1 Can Help
With our specialized healthcare IT workforce solutions, KORE1 is adept at providing the critical talent necessary for you to leverage these innovations effectively. Whether it’s sourcing experts in AI and data analysis or strategists to guide telehealth implementation, KORE1’s guidance ensures your healthcare organization is prepared to adopt these advanced technologies and lead the charge in transforming delivery and improving outcomes.