It has stated that digital technology is the future of health care. It has advanced more rapidly than any innovation in the history. Digital technology provides high quality, safe, cost effective and innovative solutions and services for patients, social and health care and another stakeholder. According to several articles, in the future, health technology can further improve the quality and efficiency of health care. It allows people to live their live independently, fullest possible extent, regardless of their condition, illness or disability. (Naumanen, 2019) Likewise, technology alleviates health care professional resource shortages and provides solutions.
Transformation of the digital health care will benefit people, health care systems and economy (European Commission, 2019).
The use of health technology has been seen to be particular benefit in the treatment of all patients. By monitoring health of the patients, targeted treatment can be provided those in need and prevent complications. The most beneficial target group are vulnerable groups such as surgical patients, cardiac patients, patients with chronical illness and disabled patients. Remote monitoring makes medicine more predictive and personalized. The collected data will be fed to machine-learning algorisms to monitor patient’s health status. (Xu et.al 2019) Because of
sensors, patient can be monitored at home and observed if their condition deteriorates. It has been argued, that telemonitoring increases among elderly care and mental health care field. In addition, use of VC is demonstrated to be satisfactory to patients and improve outcomes (Richardson et.al 2009). However, more research must be conducted in order to receive more information about use of VC with mental health patients. An occurrence, it evolves that support structures, technical support and maintenance must be at the same level as development. Health technology devices will increase the patient´s sense of security when they are receiving care.
Furthermore, because of health technology, the number of office visits and the cost for all parties will be decrease.
In economical aspect, health technology investments and exports will boost Finland´s economic growth in the future. The value of exports of health technology products has doubled in the last 20 years in Finland. In the future, the competitiveness between companies will increase and the importance of production process will be in transformation. Health technology companies must have necessary resources maintain competitiveness ability. Finnish health technology companies employ already over 13 000 people (Healthtech Finland, 2019). Those companies have an internationally extensive research and development presence and they manufacture most of their products in Finland. Also, new research is conducted regarding health care technology, and it will create new business opportunities. Because of the economic growth, more jobs are created for skilled workers.
For health care professionals, the future looks bright. New innovations will support the importance of health technology in relation to care. Utilization of these requirements demand more and more new knowledge and training, as well as cooperation. On the other hand, healthcare professionals must be willing to adapt as they adopt new technologies, learning and adjusting as they go. Attitudes and prejudices have biggest impact how work is approached.
Finnish education system is preparing for the future and adds more focus on digitalization.
eHealth competences have been already required in nursing education in Finland. European qualification framework acknowledged during the curriculum development (Ministry of Education, 2009). In the future, nursing graduates are more aware of outcomes of eHealth and ITC (European Federation of Nurses Associations, 2015). Because of new tools, wearable medical devices, telehealth, 5G mobile technology and virtual reality tools patients can receive
better treatment. Utilizing those tools, improves patient outcomes, reduces human errors and lowers the health care costs.
In the future, wellbeing technology will be connected to the IoT network, where different devices communicate together. It will improve the usability of devices and thereby promote wellbeing. Therefore, health data is more accessible, and number of errors decrease. Already healthcare field is collecting information from people’s health. And in the future, healthcare benefits from big data storages and therefore comprehensive research studies can be conducted.
The results can obtain new critical information about peoples´ health and new treatments.
Advanced data analytics will help accelerate health research, personalised medicine, early diagnosis and more effective treatments. Utilizing genomic and cognizable health information can move towards individualized treatment and more effective prevention.
Digital technology has had positive impact already, but the future looks bright. Digitalization, robotics and utilization will be extensive help to healthcare professionals and patients themselves. Services are becoming more depended on technology and more general education must be offered. Artificial intelligent technology has enabled new forms of treatment and diagnosis. Robotics, artificial intelligence will be a great help for healthcare professionals in the future.
Bringing all aspects together, digital health is future of health care. It offers effective wellbeing solutions, enables people to live independently, creates investments and expertise. It will facilitate different platforms, improved operational efficiency, integrated approached to care, high capacity for innovation, improve patient outcomes and apply new strategies for implementing and integrating new solutions to health care. In addition, the shift is showing to processing towards computer-based processing and storage and from institution centre to global health information systems (Haux, 2006). Globally, the goal is that everybody will have affordable and effective health care without suffering economic hardship. All things considered, the future shift is processing health technology towards more client-centred care (Mitchell &
Kan, 2019).