May 6, 2021
Technology has long played an integral role in healthcare. Primarily, clinicians have leveraged it through advancements such as X-rays, MRI machines, and medical lasers. The early 2000s saw a wave of technological improvements through electronic health records, which allowed for better organization of patient data and made information (theoretically) easier to share between clinicians.
Since March 2020, the availability and use of telehealth services, in which a provider engages with a patient in a live, two-way audio and video interaction, has exploded. In response, we have seen rapid policy changes at the federal and state level to accommodate telehealth to meet patient needs during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
First and foremost, all of these technologies benefit patients, but they also exist to enable clinicians to deliver healthcare more efficiently and to more people
Over the last few years, we have seen a growing use of technology focused on enabling patients to meet their health and well-being needs where they are and when they are ready to do so. This trend is largely driven by mobile technology, particularly mobile applications or “apps.”
This revolutionary opportunity can place patients in the driver’s seat regarding healthcare management. However, it also brings with it some new risks. Balancing between the two represents a challenge for regulators, patients, providers, and industry stakeholders.
In this Insightful Discussion, we explored the policies that enable or exclude the use of mobile apps and discussed how such apps are being used by employers, providers, and payors to empower patients to achieve their best health and well-being.