Healthcare technology is the kind of thing that most everyone has an interest in, in some way or another. Whether it's for us, for our loved ones, or for the rest of humanity in general, the tools that help keep us well and happy are worth watching. But with many developments in new healthcare technology showing up, there's a lot to consider in the wider field. So with the weekend now at hand, it's a good time to settle in and run down some of the biggest events in the week with our Week in Review coverage!
First, there was a new report that noted there was comparable interest between members of Generation X and the Millennial Generation in terms of healthcare, particularly in the field of online tools, to make healthcare-related communication and engagement faster, better, and easier overall. Additionally, both noted that convenient and easy access to healthcare information is important, leaving those who design patient engagement systems with a clear focus on what things to include.
Next, in perhaps an unlikely pairing, Coca-Cola's Happiness Cycle program is looking to reduce obesity figures in young people. The Happiness Cycle looks to offer up around 300 bicycles at no charge to teenagers to get said teens into a community bike ride. Meanwhile, the Happiness Cycle itself will have the ability to track activity much in the same way a Jawbone Up or Nike Fuel band can, showing users several key functions about the bike travels.
The idea of customer service carries on throughout much of the economy, but in healthcare, it's not always quite so obvious. Thus Medicare began offering incentive payments to hospitals that did take customer service seriously, as expressed by results of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. The use of technology in this particular field can help bolster HCAHPS scores and, in addition, bring in hospital revenue, making it worthwhile in several senses to augment the patient experience.
Then we took a look at healthcare for the aging baby boomer population, and how technology is playing a huge role in such developments. Video chat options, for example, help keep the elderly in contact with doctors, home monitoring options allow for an easy way for the elderly to summon help in an emergency, and a variety of tools allow the elderly to receive a certain level of healthcare monitoring while at the same time remaining independent and in the home said elder has grown to love.
Finally we had a look at the USDA's plan to invest $50 million in rural healthcare, with a particular focus on mental health issues. It's well known that the country doesn't have a lot of things the city does: impressive restaurants, museums, street crime, that sort of thing. But the country is also apparently a bit short on mental health resources too, and the USDA is looking to shore up those numbers. The $50 million in question is set to go toward things like telemedicine and similar measures to help bring the services to areas which may not ordinarily have same.
That was the week that was in healthcare technology, and clearly, there was a lot going on. Our
global online community was constantly moving to keep ahead of the flow, and that means plenty of news on hand. Be sure to join us back here next week for all the latest news in the field, as well as every weekend for our Week in Review coverage!
