The rise of virtual healthcare

How technology is transforming the way we access health services

The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the adoption of virtual healthcare, as people sought to avoid exposure to the virus and reduce the burden on the health system. 

In this blog, we explore the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of virtual healthcare.

What are the benefits of virtual healthcare?

•    Convenience: Virtual healthcare can save time and money for both patients and providers, as they can access or deliver care from anywhere, at any time, without having to travel, wait, or miss work or school.

•    Accessibility: Virtual healthcare can improve access to care for people who live in rural or remote areas, have mobility or transportation issues, or face other barriers such as language, culture, or stigma. It can also increase the availability and diversity of health professionals, as they can serve patients across different regions or countries.

•    Quality: Virtual healthcare can enhance the quality and continuity of care, as it can enable more frequent and timely interactions, personalised and tailored interventions, data-driven and evidence-based decisions, and better coordination and collaboration among different providers.

•    Empowerment: Virtual healthcare can empower patients to take more control and responsibility for their health, as they can access more information, education, and support, monitor their conditions, and manage their treatments.

What are the challenges of virtual healthcare?

•    Technology: Virtual healthcare requires reliable and secure technology infrastructure, such as broadband, devices, software, and platforms, to ensure the quality and safety of the services. It also requires digital literacy and skills, both for patients and providers, to use the technology effectively and efficiently

•    Regulation: Virtual healthcare faces regulatory and legal issues, such as licensing, credentialing, reimbursement, privacy, security, and liability, that vary across different jurisdictions and settings. It also requires clear and consistent standards, guidelines, and policies, to ensure the quality and accountability of the services

•    Culture: Virtual healthcare involves a shift in the culture and mindset of both patients and providers, as they have to adapt to new ways of communicating, interacting, and building trust and rapport. It also requires a balance between human and digital touch, as some aspects of care may be better suited for face-to-face or in-person delivery

What are the trends and opportunities of virtual healthcare?

Virtual healthcare is expected to grow and evolve in the coming years, as technology advances and consumer demand increases. Some of the trends and opportunities that may shape the future of virtual healthcare are:

•    Artificial intelligence: AI can augment and enhance virtual healthcare, by providing automated diagnosis, triage, treatment, and follow-up, as well as personalised and predictive insights and recommendations

•    Internet of Things: IoT can enable more connected and integrated virtual healthcare, by providing real-time and continuous data collection, analysis, and feedback, through wearable devices, sensors, and smart home systems

•    Virtual reality: VR can create more immersive and engaging virtual healthcare, by providing simulated and interactive environments, scenarios, and experiences, for education, training, therapy, and wellness

•    Blockchain: Blockchain can improve the security and transparency of virtual healthcare, by providing decentralised and distributed data storage, verification, and exchange, for identity, consent, and transactions

•    5G: 5G can enhance the speed and reliability of virtual healthcare, by providing faster and more stable data transmission, lower latency, and higher bandwidth, for high-quality video, audio, and images

Virtual healthcare is not a replacement, but a complement, to traditional healthcare. It can offer more choices, flexibility, and convenience, for both patients and providers, and improve the access, quality, and efficiency of health services. It can also create new opportunities and challenges, for innovation, collaboration, and transformation, in the health sector and beyond.

Introducing Microsoft Teams for frontline workers

At the HIMSS Global Health Conference and Exhibition (HIMSS23) in April, Microsoft demonstrated Virtual Appointments in Teams, an out-of-the-box solution for clinicians to make patient-care team interactions easy.

Virtual Appointments in Teams empowers scheduling administrators to set up and manage scheduled and on-demand appointments from one location, that can be scheduled and launched directly from within the electronic health record system. 

What’s more, patients can self-schedule appointments, receive text reminders, and join customer-branded appointments via their mobile devices, without needing to download Teams. 

With Microsoft Teams for healthcare, virtual care is no longer a distant vision, but a present reality. Patients can access health services from anywhere, anytime, and with any device, while clinicians can collaborate more efficiently and securely with their colleagues and patients.