What is digital health?
Combining technology with healthcare, digital health aims to provide improved and cost-effective medical services. Using innovative technology such as health apps tracking real-time data, ingestible sensors and wearables, patients can now stay fit the easy way.
Here’s how digital healthcare can change the way preventive and diagnostic treatments are being administered -
- Reduced healthcare costs in the long run
- Tailored medicine and medical solutions to individual patient needs
- Improved patient engagement
- Standardisation of medical procedures
- Improvement in wearable gadgets for smart tracking of vitals
- Treatment administration based on real-time data
What is the importance of digital health?
Patients can benefit from digital health in diverse ways such as disease prevention, monitoring and management of chronic diseases, reduction in the costs of treatment and therapy etc.
Along with patients, it also benefits healthcare providers. With more personalised prescriptions through improved data on health markers, doctors can provide medical services that result in increased patient satisfaction.
Improved digital health tools also lead to the identification of new ailments or worsening illness. With a quick diagnosis, healthcare professionals can intervene early to administer the right course of treatment and deliver treatments timely to reduce the duration of the disease and improve quality of life.
What is digital therapy?
Digital therapy includes treatment intervention based on advanced clinical evidence. Such therapy involves prevention, management or treatment of a disease or medical disorder through technology integrated with high-grade software.
Patients can get improved healthcare and treatment outcomes through advanced technology-driven therapies and medications. They can also receive value-based medical care for improved health and wellness with the help of innovative digital therapies.
Benefits of digital health
Digital health, also known as eHealth or telemedicine, refers to the use of technology and digital tools to improve healthcare services and patient outcomes. This innovative approach to healthcare has gained significant momentum in recent years, offering numerous benefits to patients, healthcare providers, and the overall healthcare system.
- Improved access to healthcare: Digital health technologies break down geographical barriers, allowing patients in remote or underserved areas to access medical services. Through telemedicine, patients can consult with specialists and receive timely medical advice, reducing the need for travel and saving time and expenses.
- Enhanced convenience: With digital health solutions, patients can schedule virtual appointments, receive medical reports, and access their health information online. This convenience is especially beneficial for individuals with mobility issues, chronic conditions, or busy schedules.
- Cost-effectiveness: Digital health initiatives can lead to cost savings for both patients and healthcare providers. Remote consultations and monitoring can reduce hospital visits and readmissions, leading to lower healthcare expenses.
- Timely and accurate diagnoses: Digital health tools enable the quick transmission of medical data, allowing healthcare professionals to diagnose conditions promptly and accurately. This timely diagnosis can significantly improve treatment outcomes and patient prognosis.
- Remote patient monitoring: Digital health technologies enable continuous monitoring of patients' health status outside traditional clinical settings. Wearable devices and remote monitoring tools help track vital signs and symptoms, allowing healthcare providers to intervene proactively when necessary.
- Personalised medicine: Digital health solutions support data-driven healthcare, facilitating the collection and analysis of patient data to develop personalized treatment plans. This approach considers individual patient characteristics, leading to more effective and targeted interventions.
- Health data management: Electronic Health Records (EHRs) streamline the management of patient data, making medical information accessible, secure, and easily transferable among healthcare providers. This enhances care coordination and reduces the risk of medical errors.
Digital healthcare in India
Rapid digitisation of the Indian healthcare system has improved the diagnostic, preventive and medical care that patients receive; thus, leading to significant advancement in healthcare. The digital network allows you to connect effectively with doctors while giving you access to health data.
Recent advancements in digital healthcare in India include –
- Administering treatment through telemedicine
- Personalised diagnosis through smart health monitors
- AI-enabled personalised testing of the genomes for effective treatment of genetic diseases
Health app-enabled diseases prevention through increased health awareness and engagement
Healthcare made affordable with the Bajaj Finserv Digital Health EMI Network Card
Bajaj Finserv makes availing healthcare easier, affordable and more hassle-free than ever with its Digital Health EMI Network Card. With a pre-approved limit of up to Rs. 4 lakh, you can pay for all your hospital, clinic and diagnostic care bills on No Cost EMIs. The card can be used to avail 800+ medical treatments at 5,500 top healthcare centres and multi-speciality hospitals across 1,000+ cities in India.
With industry-first features, you benefit from a fully digital card that gets activated instantly in a few clicks without submitting any documents. All you have to do is pay a one-time joining fee of just Rs. 707 (inclusive of applicable taxes) for the Gold variant or Rs. 999 (inclusive of applicable taxes) for the Platinum variant and get your Digital Health EMI Network Card.
Frequently asked questions
Digital health refers to the integration of technology, data, and electronic communication in healthcare. It encompasses a wide range of applications, including health tracking, telemedicine, electronic health records, wearable devices, and health apps, aimed at improving healthcare delivery, patient monitoring, and overall wellness through digital means.
Digital health offers numerous benefits, such as improved patient access to healthcare services, real-time health monitoring, efficient health record management, and the potential to enhance medical research and diagnosis. It empowers individuals to take charge of their health and allows healthcare providers to offer more personalized and timely care.
Digital health holds immense significance in India due to its potential to address healthcare challenges like limited access to medical services in remote areas, overburdened healthcare infrastructure, and the need for cost-effective solutions. It can bridge gaps in healthcare delivery, enable remote consultations, and facilitate health data management for a large population.
Types of digital health solutions include telemedicine (virtual doctor consultations), health tracking apps (fitness, nutrition, sleep), wearable devices (smartwatches, fitness trackers), electronic health records (digital patient information storage), remote patient monitoring (real-time health data collection), and digital therapeutics (apps for managing chronic conditions through interventions like cognitive therapy).
Digital medicine focuses specifically on using digital tools, such as apps or wearable devices, to diagnose, treat, or manage medical conditions. Digital health, on the other hand, encompasses a broader spectrum, including technology-driven healthcare services, health data management, remote monitoring, and various digital interventions beyond just medical treatments.
