What are some of the new innovations in Telehealth?

Telehealth is transforming medicine inside and outside healthcare facilities. Due to a rapidly changing cyber world, healthcare providers and their partners are forced to keep telehealth security top-of-mind. As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, the health industry is experiencing an eruption in online demand. 

Many companies are under tremendous pressure as they rush to build rapid adoption telemedicine and telehealth platforms. By allowing anybody with an internet connection to access medical care, telehealth itself is a massive innovation. As more providers adopt this model, we’ll continue to see enhancements that increase the reliability and functionality of telehealth platforms. 

But you didn’t come here for that. You want to know some of the sci-fi-esque technologies that are already here or right around the corner. 

There are plenty of those too! Let’s take a look at four incredible telehealth innovations that are already on the market: 

• Triage platforms: Instead of Googling, “what does it mean when my head feels warm,” smart triage tools can provide you with both self-care recommendations or advise you to seek professional medical help if necessary. From smart AI and chatbots to major health platforms, quick and effective care is now here. 
• Digital biomarkers: This is the sort of cutting-edge you’d expect to see in films like Blade Runner. Digital biomarkers such as sensors, algorithms, and other tools that can collect data on both physiological and behavioral measurements. Some companies are even working on apps that can judge your mental health by how you swipe and interact with your phone. Others may be able to catch serious illnesses early while they’re more treatable. 
• Remote monitoring devices: these monitoring tools are already here and include more than just an Apple Watch or Fitbit. From wearable tech to devices that can report if a person falls down or has low blood sugar levels, these products save lives daily.  

It’s easy to get the impression that telehealth is primarily an outpatient solution. While so much of telehealth does focus on a remote aspect of care, it’s also ushering a range of new technologies to be used in healthcare facilities like: 

• IoT devices: The internet-of-things (IoT) refers to the growing list of internet-enabled devices. In your home, these are products like smart lights and security cameras. In healthcare settings, these describe an ever-increasing list of technologies from connected ultrasound machines to patient monitoring devices and more. 
• Data collection and analysis: telehealth taps into the power of data and provides hospitals with detailed information on vital health statistics such as heart rates, blood glucose levels, and lab test results. Using machine learning and AI, hospitals can better process all this data to better inform their diagnoses and courses of treatment. 
• Patient portals: patient portals do everything from schedule appointments to providing feedback, medication information, and more. This additional communication channel is vital in ensuring that patients make it to healthcare facilities when necessary and empowers them with tools they need to adhere to medication regimens. 

 We’re truly living in the most exciting time in medicine. These trends are just the beginning of the amazing innovations happening in telehealth.  

Hospitals and technology have long gone hand-in-hand. Telehealth builds on this history of innovation to deliver the latest healthcare solutions.