Pandemic pushed digital transformation into overdrive for health care executives (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Business Journal) — According to BDO’s 2021 Healthcare Digital Transformation Survey, as a result of the events of 2020, 60% of healthcare organizations are adding new digital projects and 42% are accelerating some or all existing digital transformation plans. The message is clear: the future of healthcare is digital.
Check out the key findings from our survey to see how health care leaders are leveraging technology to drive growth and improve care.
Telehealth’s time to shine
The pandemic forced many healthcare organizations to rely on telehealth for routine care. While organizations with strong telehealth capabilities were at an advantage at the start, by now, most organizations have realized that telehealth isn’t going away, and they need to continue to invest in their capabilities to grow their business. Almost half (46%) of respondents said they’re not comfortable with telehealth technology, suggesting organizations will need to invest in upskilling their workforce. And while 69% of respondents say their technology infrastructure is aligned with their telehealth needs, just 38% said their telehealth platform offers secure, private and compliant communication channels — something organizations should address proactively as the future of telehealth regulation is still in flux.
Now is a good time for healthcare organizations to evaluate the telehealth platform they’re using, understand their current capabilities and goals, and create a robust, comprehensive strategy to support their ideal telehealth end-state.
Patient experience becomes a priority
Unsurprisingly, over a quarter of respondents cited patient experience as their top digital priority. To that end, many healthcare organizations are pursuing a “digital front door” strategy, allowing patients to make appointments, check their medical records and pay bills online. However, not every patient is comfortable using patient portals or other digital messaging systems to manage their care. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare, and it’s important to keep that in mind when designing the patient experience.
Just as you would personalize a patient’s treatment, so too should you personalize the delivery of their care. Meet patients where they are, whether that’s through a mobile app, video call, phone call or in-person visit.
More opportunities for data analytics
While data analytics has become the new digital frontier in healthcare, many healthcare organizations are only on step one of their data analytics journey: collecting massive amounts of data. To turn that data into actionable insights, they’ll need to invest in analytics. 39% of respondents are using data analytics primarily for real-time reporting and only 24% are using advanced analytics, including forecasting and predictive models. Furthermore, over a quarter (28%) said insights are in a dashboard that few can access.
Organizations should prioritize gathering insights from data related to the financial and operational health of their business, in addition to clinician performance and patient experience. Embedding data-driven decision-making into the foundation of your organization is crucial to fostering resilience, increasing transparency and maximizing opportunities for growth.
Healthcare’s digital transformation, now and in the future
The acceleration of digital transformation in healthcare is far from over, and changes made during the pandemic aren’t going away. Telehealth, the digital patient experience and data analytics will continue to play increasingly important roles in the healthcare of tomorrow. Healthcare organizations need to ensure they’re making the right strategic investments to adequately prepare themselves for the future. Otherwise, they may find they’re behind the curve in more ways than one.
Want to learn more? Be sure to read the full survey report here for deeper insights into healthcare’s digital future.