Globally, information and telecommunications technology (ITC) is changing the way in which health care is being delivered. This is especially true in developing countries where access to quality medical care is very hard to come by. Using remote medical technologies, telemedicine is making it possible to receive medical care virtually anywhere and anytime. A new book, " EPATIENT 2015: 15 Surprising Trends Changing Health Care," outlines the future trends that are transforming healthcare with original research highlighting the impact this technology is having across a diverse population, regardless of income or social status.
The book is co-written by bestselling author Rohit Bhargava and digital health futurist Fard Johnmar, with the goal of addressing many of the related issues with technology and healthcare, and how consumers will be able to exploit the services that will be available to them.
According to data published by the authors, close to 50 percent of ePatients living in the United States said the web has improved their understanding of medication, communication with the doctors and receive faster care over the past three years.
"The future of health care is about more than who is paying for it. This book provides actionable intelligence that will help consumers achieve better health, and health organizations anticipate, understand, and navigate the profound changes to come," said Mr. Bhargava.
The book describes how technology along with history, culture and policy is combining to change how health and medical care is being delivered, accessed and communicated around the world.
The themes covered in the book and how healthcare will change over the next two years and beyond include:
Health hyperefficiency – the innovations in computing technology that are driving the efficiency, safety, effective health and medical care for all patients.
Personalized health movement – a consideration of unique genetics, behaviors and medical histories of individuals in treating patients instead of non-personalized guidelines and traditions.
Digital peer-to-peer healthcare – the use of Web, social and mobile tools in helping patients to receive support for accessing the right service from health insurance and other providers.
"The book breaks new ground partly because it provides answers to questions consumers have never been asked before. Readers of the book will learn, for example, what ePatients think about health data privacy issues and why caregivers view the health Web as much more than an information source," added Mr. Johnmar.
Edited by
Cassandra Tucker
