Connecting to a healthier world
By Craig Comrie , CEO of Profmed
We live in an interconnected society now so more than ever . There is no doubt that our increased ability to connect with each other and health systems that keep us alive . This has increased our quality of life exponentially .
Over the past few years , the increasing and evolving role of smart devices that monitor our healthcare is growing substantially . With all the new gadgets , tools , and of course , the internet , there are limitless possibilities when it comes to managed care .
For example , if you have dysrhythmia and suffer from heart complications , now your smartwatch can read and report your heart rate every minute of the day . If a problem is detected , a disease manager or clinician is automatically alerted and can intervene – mitigating the risk of complications or a fully-fledged late-stage heart attack .
That is but one example in a sea of solutions that illustrate the absolute benefit of connectedness in healthcare . Every year the advancements keep on evolving and the solutions bring us closer to a state of connection that continues to transform healthcare as we know it .
In a connected society , most people with a smartphone communicate via WhatsApp . This way of communication and connecting has become the norm , and healthcare is quickly following suit . It will not be long before WhatsApp is data-compliant and is set up to connect people with their healthcare specialists , provide access to medical records and connect patients with the relevant healthcare specialists which will achieve a high-level healthcare overview of a patient . This way , healthcare specialists , medical schemes , and the patient can work together to find the right outcome swiftly . This will help mitigate the risk of costly duplication that happens within a more disconnected and disparate healthcare system that we often see today .
A more digitally connected healthcare system allows people to get the right care both timeously and economically . If there is one thing that society needs right now , it is a more efficient and cost-effective healthcare system .
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