Remote Care

THE PANDEMIC HAS FAST-TRACKED ADOPTION OF SMART HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS GLOBALLY

-  DR. AZAD MOOPEN

Over the last year, Covid-19 has been a burden on global healthcare systems. It has forced governments, public and private sector to rethink healthcare delivery strategy. This has led to fast-tracking digital transformation by more than 10 times and this is just the beginning.

Though many technology-enabled solutions existed, patients, doctors and medical providers were reluctant to adopt those. They preferred the traditional in-person, face-to-face diagnosis. The pandemic pushed healthcare providers to focus on quickly adapting to changing times. This meant constant connection with customer needs. For many, the solution pivoted around technology and digital health.

Bright Future

According to a recent Deloitte report, global healthcare spending is expected to expand at a cagr of 4 per cent over 2021-‘24, up from 2.8 per cent during 2015-‘19. Global healthcare spending as a share of GDP will remain at around 10.3 per cent through 2023, slightly ahead of 2019’s ratio. However, spending will be unevenly spread, ranging from $12,703 in us to just $37 in Pakistan in 2024. Even though we are expecting significant growth, segments of the population might still struggle to access quality care. The best solution shall be adopting digital and information technology, which helped cut costs in many sectors.