It’s fascinating to be a part of a big shift within an industry, and as an established healthcare tech and creative agency we have been involved in many innovations for medical and health-focused brands. The ever-growing complexity of treatments and an ageing population is constantly driving demand for health services. The industry is having to find effective new ways to rise to the challenge – so what are the key trends?

Healthcare is a huge industry and growing globally every day. There are three core area where technology is shaping the sector:

Better quality care and efficiency

Health technology makes things easier for both patients and practitioners. Self-service technology is available for most GPs and other providers today, allowing patients to book appointments, check in on arrival and updated their personal details. This saves significant time for both staff and patients and allows staff to focus on more complex work. 

The NHS app was launched in December 2018 and is an ambitious innovation. It now has over 22 million users who can access health advice, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and prove their Covid-19 vaccination status.

Treatment innovations

Data and technology is integral in delivering ground-breaking innovations. The speed of data analytics and the use of AI in identifying patterns and trends is vastly enhancing the understanding of health conditions.

Technology is developing incredible new ideas – such as personalised 3D models of the heart to improve operation success, development of robotic prosthetics and programming AI to read every medical journal ever published.

Access to information

Digital communication can bridge the gap between consumers and clinicians via websites and health apps. More than 75% of the UK population now seek health information online.

Over the years we’ve built a reputation as a healthcare media agency and have developed many product brands and medical websites. This is a fascinating sector and one where the trends are changing rapidly, especially when it comes to social media.

The healthcare industry avoided social media for years because of concerns about confidentiality and personal information. Now, however, healthcare organisations are actively embracing digital channels and social media for awareness, patient engagement and spreading accurate health messaging.

(https://www.merritthawkins.com/three-ways-social-media-has-changed-patient-care/

Here are five important ways that digital and social media can support the healthcare sector…

Learning about health issues

74% of us now use online sources to find health advice – and social media is an excellent channel to share positive information about specific conditions or illnesses. Diabetes UK, for example, has 72,900 followers and shares real life stories and research findings. British Heart Foundation has a similar sized following.

Other patients’ stories

Social media is also a fantastic source of support for like-minded people. Facebook particularly is a popular forum for people to share their experiences of a certain health condition. You can find groups for every health concern imaginable, from alopecia and obsessive-compulsive disorder to Multiple Sclerosis.

These groups present an opportunity for healthcare brands to reach and engage with their audiences – but should never be used as a sales opportunity.

Videos

Video is a powerful tool in reassuring and engaging with patients. Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital has an extensive YouTube channel and one of its most watched videos is a 360 degree tour of the hospital. Video is an excellent way to reassure patients and let them know what to expect.

Reviews

Reviews on social media can influence on patients’ decisions to seek a specific provider. According to one survey, 90% of patients use online reviews to decide on healthcare providers, and 71% use online reviews as the first step to finding a new doctor.

Connecting professionals

Today’s researchers, doctors, nursing professionals, policymakers and most of the healthcare sector have grown up with social media. They are as confident in interacting with each other online as face to face. Teams in all disciplines use social media like Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook to interact on a daily basis, whether to discuss daily workloads and tasks or follow a new medical breakthrough.

The revolution is just beginning

The whole healthcare industry has undergone a revolution since the COVID-19 pandemic, rapidly embracing the opportunities that digital tools bring in terms of safe consultation with patients, online conferencing and much more. The whole industry is now in a more confident position to find new ways to engage with patients and colleagues, that work for everyone.