Telemedicine was developed to eliminate barriers to accessing health services for people living in remote areas, providing a clear and concrete system that becomes even more crucial during major epidemic situations. Consequently, more startups are investing in and developing innovations to support this field. Data from surveys on trends in healthcare, utilizing virtual care technology (Virtual care) applied in telemedicine, will assist medical professionals in understanding the overall changes in health service delivery models. These trends can be applied in various healthcare settings. The top 10 trends in 2024 are as follows:
What is Telemedicine?
Telemedicine revolutionizes healthcare by leveraging technology for remote medical services. Through virtual consultations, patients can access expert care, reducing geographical barriers. It improves efficiency, minimizes travel, and offers a flexible approach to healthcare delivery. Particularly crucial during crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine ensures safe consultations, limiting the spread of infectious diseases. With the integration of advanced communication tools, electronic health records, and continuous innovations, telemedicine plays a pivotal role in enhancing access to medical expertise and improving overall healthcare outcomes.
The healthcare landscape is undergoing a comprehensive transformation in the delivery of services, with implications for application across various healthcare settings. The anticipated trends for 2024 encompass the following top 10 changes in healthcare practices:
Virtual care
Virtual care, enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI-enhanced virtual care), aids doctors in diagnosing diseases and accurately predicting care trends, while also ensuring privacy for patients. For example, Alpaca Health has developed an AI platform for virtual care that enhances communication between medical professionals and patients. This platform offers advice, follows up on symptoms, and supports continuous care. Additionally, AI Rehab creates products with motion detectors combined with AI, proving beneficial for remote physical therapy.
Remote patient monitoring
Remote patient monitoring enables continuous surveillance of patients. For instance, Momentum Health has designed a smartphone application for remote scoliosis care. It employs 3D modeling to precisely simulate the patient’s body, aiding personnel in more convenient symptom monitoring. Connected Care has developed a remote diabetes care platform that monitors blood sugar levels, features an alert system, and provides daily advice on symptoms and exercise.
Personalized care
Individual patient care, also known as personalized care, tailors medical approaches based on medical history and patient preferences, effectively assessing health and adjusting treatment plans accordingly. For instance, Careloop Health has created a care platform for psychiatric patients utilizing AI to detect mental health fluctuations, predicting potential events to prevent disease recurrence. OwnaHealth develops a personalized recommendation program encompassing dietary suggestions, exercise, stress management, and behavior modification.
Digital Therapeutics (DTx)
Digital Therapeutics (DTx) for virtual care facilitates remote patient access to healthcare. For instance, Clarity has developed a telemedicine platform that aids healthcare professionals in treating patients with diseases like Alzheimer’s, using virtual reality incorporating light and sound. Additionally, it features an electronic medical records (EMR) system. Newel Health has created a platform for managing patients with chronic diseases, assisting in care planning, and providing guidance to patients and their relatives on patient care.
Healthcare analytics
Healthcare analytics utilizes statistical techniques and patient insights to analyze risk, enabling the planning of appropriate treatments. For instance, Ignis Health developed a telehealth program that analyzes data and presents healthcare programs. Mesh Bio, on the other hand, develops a predictive analytics platform to personalize evidence-based remote healthcare recommendations for individual users.
VR for remote care delivery
Telemedicine, utilizing virtual reality (VR for remote care delivery), broadens the options for providing remote patient care and treatment, eliminating the need for in-person doctor visits. VR serves multiple purposes, such as immersing patients in a virtual environment to distract them during medical procedures or aid in post-surgery recovery, reducing reliance on painkillers and expediting healing for better patient outcomes. Additionally, VR simplifies understanding complex medical concepts through interactive visualization, facilitating informed decision-making between patients and doctors regarding treatment options.
For instance, NeuroSync has developed a virtual reality-based platform for monitoring patients with neurological diseases, aiding in diagnosis and providing fast and accurate remote care. Heka VR has designed a system for treating psychiatric patients using augmented reality (AR), creating a virtual space that visualizes and expresses the patient’s emotions, making therapy more accessible.
Wearables
Wearables enable individuals to monitor their health continuously, collecting and analyzing data in real-time. This allows wearers to assess initial symptoms independently or provide doctors with comprehensive information for informed decision-making. Wearable devices are crucial in the remote management of chronic diseases, particularly for individuals with conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. This simplifies remote management and decreases the necessity for frequent hospital visits. For example, GTcardio has developed a device for monitoring the heartbeat, respiratory system, and remote sleep.
Telerobotics
Telerobotics systems enable the remote control of robotic devices, allowing health professionals to execute intricate medical procedures and deliver expert care to patients from a distance. Surgeons, for instance, can conduct surgeries using robot arms, ensuring precision and diminishing the necessity for physical presence. Tech-savvy companies employ advanced robotics and haptic feedback to replicate the sense of touch, ensuring high accuracy in medical services and surpassing previous limitations. Plebe Innovations, for example, developed a remote robot control system for conducting ultrasounds, while WhyDots created robot technology capable of sensing and understanding emotions, providing diverse responses to assist patients with dementia.
Internet network devices
Internet of Things (IoT) devices connect various devices like wearables, smart home devices, medical equipment, and sensors into a network, facilitating the real-time collection of patient data. This integration enables remote health monitoring, ensuring continuous observation and early detection of health issues. AI-powered analytics processes this data to offer personalized health insights and treatment recommendations. Additionally, IoT can enhance medication adherence by sending reminders and tracking doses. AI-powered wearables track vital signs, analyzing patterns to predict potential health risks.
For example, Medisante Group developed the M+ Hub product, which seamlessly integrates with a telemedicine platform without requiring a smartphone or cloud system. Invamar creates IoT-enabled wearables designed to enhance people’s health and well-being, particularly for those with communication problems, as these wearables can monitor vital signs in real-time.
From the above information, it can be observed that the development of healthcare through virtual technology (Virtual care) for telemedicine has a trending inclination towards the increased application of artificial intelligence and automation, combined with real-time tracking. This integration aims to enhance convenience for patients and enable medical personnel to access patient information swiftly in the event of acute situations or when dealing with long-term datasets.
