There's no doubting that Covid-19 has shed light on artificial intelligence's (AI) potential in the healthcare industry. Remote medicine was always thought to be more hype than reality, but the pandemic thrust it into the spotlight. Telemedicine, which is part of the broader telehealth umbrella, has improved access to healthcare; one step further, AI-driven symptom checking has improved preliminary diagnosis and triage even more.
It's evident that telehealth has the potential to change the patient-doctor relationship, therefore it's no wonder that the telehealth industry in the United States is expected to increase by 28% by 2026. Furthermore, as technology has risen to the top of the agenda for governmental and commercial healthcare systems around the world, insurance companies are seeing an increase in use cases.
This could not come at a better moment, since it will allow the consultation process to be streamlined. As the world's population lives longer — by 2050, one-quarter of individuals in Europe and North America will be over 65 — the strain on healthcare systems will be unparalleled.
For healthcare professionals and insurers, this entails accommodating an inflow of patients with possibly more complex demands, as well as the millions of younger consumers seeking medical guidance. As a result, they must devise strategies to ensure that systems are long-term and that everyone has access to healthcare. Telemedicine and AI-driven symptom checking have the potential to revolutionise healthcare in the future.
Two-thirds of the 27 million hospital visits could have been avoided.
The initial step for folks seeking help is often to phone their doctor's office or go to the emergency department. They may, on the other hand, contact their health insurance provider, who will ask them a few questions to see if they need to get medical counsel in person.
As a result of these approaches, waiting rooms are frequently overflowing with patients who do not need to be there. Two-thirds of the 27 million yearly hospital visits in the United States may be avoided if symptoms could be treated elsewhere, such as at home or with over-the-counter medicine. As a result, expenses for healthcare providers, insurers, and patients are rising (with the average cost of such visits reaching $2,000), and physicians are spending less time on people with more significant illnesses, potentially affecting the care they receive.
Patient outcomes that are better
Incorporating AI symptom checks and telemedicine has the potential to change the face of healthcare and better safeguard the systems' long-term viability around the world. Patients' journeys can begin before a teleconsultation even takes place, with AI symptom checkers determining the type of condition a patient is having and various treatment alternatives before they've even spoken to a doctor. They can advise self-care choices, suggest a telehealth appointment if counsel is needed, or refer people to in-person care at hospitals or local doctors' offices if necessary. Access to AI symptom checkers and telemedicine helped 50 percent of patients avoid going to the hospital, demonstrating how such technologies can make a difference in emergency room attendance.
Similarly, insurance companies can utilise the same technology to provide more precise counsel to patients who call for medical help. Where they might have been referred to a doctor as a precaution in the past, accurate AI can now advise them not to. Only 8% of patients who stated that their first aim was to seek immediate medical care were actually advised to do so.
This improved patient flow is beneficial to all parties concerned. It enhances healthcare access, especially for those who don't reside near doctors' offices or who live in another nation. It saves money that can be re-invested in the system by reducing unnecessary journeys. It also aids in ensuring that physicians only see people who are most in need, properly allocating resources. Furthermore, the doctor will have access to all of the system's extensive patient data, allowing them to make faster healthcare decisions.
COVID-19's retaliation
Symptom checking powered by AI gives fast, accurate healthcare advice that would previously have been sought from a physician. Patients can receive healthcare securely without having to attend a hospital or doctor's office when telemedicine is used, which is critical during a pandemic. In contrast, if an in-person visit is still required, patients will be aware that they are not putting themselves at risk.
As a result, telemedicine has aided in the prevention of disease transmission in waiting rooms, reducing strain on other elements of healthcare and allowing physicians to continue working and providing care to people in need. Attitudes are shifting in the following ways: According to a McKinsey analysis, only 11% of Americans used telemedicine before to COVID; currently, 76 percent are interested in doing so. Similarly, 57 percent of providers think telehealth is better now than it was before COVID. Both discoveries represent a significant shift, demonstrating how technology has stepped up in a time of need.
Boosting the health-care system as a whole
The ultimate goal of any healthtech is to increase patient access and care quality. Patients demand immediate access to correct healthcare; physicians require solutions that assist them in providing better treatment to their patients; and insurance companies are constantly looking for methods to deliver more personalised services.
Telemedicine, when combined with AI symptom checks that can analyse people of all ages, including entire families, can expedite care and eliminate some of the inefficiencies that drive up healthcare expenses and negatively influence service. Patients who require medical aid receive it; those who do not receive appropriate self-care instructions and, most importantly, reassurance.
Looking ahead, the changing attitude toward telemedicine implies that innovation will continue to thrive, and we'll see more utilisation of the technology. It will provide a plethora of remote patient monitoring options. For example, allowing clinicians to detect symptoms early and support patients at home, or giving better treatment while assisting them in staying out of in-person healthcare facilities, which is much more expensive for everyone concerned.
Finally, using AI and telemedicine to improve patient care and flow will have a beneficial impact and help relieve strain on an increasingly overburdened healthcare system – something that our global society requires and deserves.