E-healthcare, also known as ‘e-health‘, is one of the most significant innovations in healthcare in recent years. It improves the accessibility, efficiency and quality of medical care, enabling greater collaboration between doctors and patients.
It also promotes more effective disease management. To learn more, read on or contact us: phone +390954683879, WhatsApp (tap or click the link to open the chat).
Table of contents
What is e-healthcare
E-healthcare or e-health is fundamentally based on the use of a wide range of digital tools, such as:
- electronic health records (EHR);
- health monitoring app;
- wearable devices, such as smartwatches or smart wristbands;
- telemedicine programmes.
Let us look at them in detail one by one.
Electronic medical records
Electronic health records (EHR) are nothing more than digital versions of traditional paper medical records. They contain a patient’s medical history, including treatments, allergy test results and medications.
Electronic health records allow medical personnel easy access to relevant information, which improves the quality of care and reduces the risk of errors.
Moreover, they can be integrated with other systems, such as apps and wearable devices for health monitoring, which we will see shortly.
Health monitoring app
Health monitoring apps help users keep track of their vital parameters and manage their health optimally. Examples are:
- MyFitnessPal, the app that analyses calories and nutrients in detail to reduce the body mass index (BMI);
- Headspace, designed to promote mental well-being with mindfulness exercises and meditation;
- mySugar, the app that helps people with diabetes keep track of their blood sugar levels by suggesting dietary regimes that include proper insulin intake.
Wearable devices for health
Wearable health devices, similarly to apps, monitor vital parameters such as heart rate, circadian cycles (i.e. sleep quality) or blood oxygen concentration and report any abnormalities.
Examples of wearable devices are:
- the Apple Watch or the Fitbit, through which it is even possible to perform electrocardiograms (ECG);
- smart rings, such as Oura Ring, which track sleep and heart rate;
- smart patches, such as the FreeStyle Libre, which continuously monitor glucose concentrations in the blood stream.
The data collected by wearable devices are generally and with the user’s authorisation shared with clinical centres and doctors to personalise therapies.
Telemedicine programmes
Telemedicine programmes make use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to offer telehealth services to patients who, in this way, no longer have to physically travel to hospitals or clinics.
These include:
- software for virtual consultations, allowing patients to describe symptoms, receive diagnoses and treatment plans remotely;
- Telecare programmes for patients with chronic conditions;
- remote therapies, such as online psychotherapy services.
Telemedicine programmes are particularly useful for those people who live in remote rural areas and have difficulty travelling.
E-healthcare benefits
E-healthcare offers countless benefits, for patients and doctors alike. Let’s look at the main ones:
1. Better quality of care
Full access to medical histories enables physicians to make more informed and conscious decisions, resulting in better quality of care.
2. More efficiency
E-healthcare makes the networked sharing of health information more efficient, facilitating collaboration between specialists.
3. More accessibility
Thanks to e-healthcare, patients can finally break down geographical barriers and long waits, being able to access personalised healthcare virtually anywhere.
4. Cost reduction
E-healthcare reduces healthcare costs by eliminating unnecessary visits, preventing complications and promoting more effective management of chronic conditions.
5. Patient empowerment
E-healthcare makes patients more aware. Health monitoring apps and wearable devices involve patients in managing their own health, empowering them.
E-healthcare challenges
Despite the advantages, e-healthcare also presents challenges, particularly related to data privacy and security. Ensuring data integrity is crucial to preserving patient trust.
Other challenges are, of course:
- interoperability, i.e. the ability to make different systems and devices interact without errors occurring during the exchange of information;
- accessibility, since all individuals have the same access to the Internet or have a broadband connection, which is essential for telemedicine services;
- training, since not everyone, especially the elderly, is familiar with the use of new technologies. One solution in this respect could be to set up e-healthcare courses for those who wish to use care at a distance.
e-healthcare today and tomorrow
Today, e-healthcare is still in an embryonic state, although it represents the first step towards a more prosperous future where technology will make healthcare more accessible. However, it is worth remembering that e-healthcare can never completely replace medical practice tout court, but it will enable it to improve it, thus lowering the costs of the healthcare system.
Contact us to develop e-healthcare projects or if you are looking for funding sources
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IPPOCRATE AS is an Italian software house specialising in the development of e-health, m-health and telemedicine solutions. Through its consulting company JO Consulting, it can also help you find the right financial resources to launch your business idea.
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