Technology today is changing the world’s perspective leading people towards a modern technical world. The role of ICT emerges and creates a great impact in Healthcare; thus, the need for ICT services is apparent. The use of ICT in Healthcare improves care quality, enhances data protection and patient security, and lessens administrative and operating costs.
Telecommunication devices are more user-friendly and are utilised by a big portion of the population worldwide, which resulted in a reduced communication gap to zero levels. Thus, ease of access to different data has been made simpler with ICT utilisation. People also feel more relaxed in availing healthcare services with the help of ICT.
The Common Struggles in Healthcare
Healthcare sectors encounter different challenges, including storing patients’ medical records, maintaining hospital information, medication error, maintenance of medical equipment and many more. Today, hospitals rely on ICT to restore the whole process within the healthcare sector. With ICT, the disparities between urban and rural areas have been shortened and broken. So, if doctors have the right medium of communication, delivery of treatment and care will be easy even for patients placed anywhere in the world.
This kind of system helps doctors to constantly monitor the patients’ diagnostic report, history and even track their current health situation. Doctors can also intermingle with their patients, recommend medical examinations and prescribe medicines.
How to Deal with the Challenges
The village population falls short of appropriate healthcare awareness because of the absence of correct information. Difficulties in transportation in rural areas are also a hindrance in taking the patients to the hospital at the right time. This is one of the major reasons for the increasing number of contagious diseases and death rates in villages. This challenge can be dealt with by installing a proper communication channel so village doctors can communicate with towns nearby, resulting in many lives being saved.
How ICT Helps
With the aid of ICT services, reports can be digitised, making it possible for an individual to monitor his medical health condition. It is also helpful in seeking a second opinion from any medical practitioners all around the globe. This keeps people connected with doctors and other medical practitioners and creates a sound parent- patient relationship. The system assures people to receive better medical experience and lead them to a healthier life. This as well indirectly develops a country’s health status.
Four Key Streams of ICT Used in Healthcare
ICT use in the healthcare sector can be classified into four key streams:
- Health Research
- Health and Education
- Health Management System
- Health Data Management
This digital era lets people easily search, access, communicate and learn with other people in just a short period. The ICT support hospital management by leading the organisation to overcome the challenges they face. It also helps the hospital improve patients’ safety, get up-to-date on the technology, be informed on the population health and data and monitor the government’s mandates.Information and communication technology primarily helps hospitals in the e-storage of their medical data. This helps an organisation to easily retrieve information. The information can be easily transferred to doctors or patients for consultation. ICT has various ways to offer to improve the healthcare system. This sector has to employ ICT more wisely to convey changes and improve Healthcare to a higher level, contributing to the country’s growth.