4 health innovations sparked by Covid-19
THE pandemic has changed how we work, learn and interact as physical distancing guidelines have led to a more virtual existence, both personally and professionally. This has led to endless innovation to try and navigate through the new way.
The healthcare industry has long been ripe for innovation, and the pandemic has served as a powerful catalyst. Research from McKinsey found that 90% of healthcare executives believe Covid-19 will fundamentally change their businesses, and 85% predict lasting changes to customers’ preferences. And while this pandemic has decimated many industries, it has also caused countless businesses to innovate, most notably in the medical and health industries.
Fedhealth gives us some of the health innovations witnessed over the past year in the medical fields:
Virtual consultations
Our work meetings have gone from in-person to online. Even birthday parties and quiz nights with friends are now done through our screens. And while it can never replicate the real thing, there are some processes that can be concluded effectively online – including GP consultations for less serious matters.
Many professionals have turned to phone calls, online messaging and video conferencing to diagnose problems, write up prescriptions and provide care. This protects patients and healthcare providers from Covid-19 risks.
Care at home
Although hospitals have their advantages, they’re not always the best environment for everyone. In fact, research shows that patients recover better and faster in their own homes – resulting in improved outcomes and less demand on critical hospital resources, especially during Covid times. Because of this, some medical aids added “hospital at home” as a service, giving suitable patients a team of trained healthcare professionals who bring all the essential elements of in-patient care to a patient’s home.
Wearable tech
Whether it’s telling us to get up and move around, or reminding us that we need to go to sleep, we’ve been wearing tech on our wrists to help with our health goals for a while now. But this pandemic has offered an opportunity to take this even further by giving health professionals the chance to track analytics like our heart rates, temperature and other biometrics, helping predict certain conditions (including Covid) before we even exhibit symptoms.
Masks and sanitiser
You may not think of these as ‘innovations’, but think how quickly we’ve all adapted to wearing masks when leaving the house and getting on public transport. Remember how after a flight (pre-Covid) you often used to catch a cold because of all the germs you were exposed to on the plane? Mask wearing while travelling may become our new normal after Covid, just as hand washing and sanitiser have become much more regular parts of our lives.
The fashion industry has responded by designing masks, and even perfume houses like Dior are making sanitiser for French hospitals.
It’s too soon to tell how these innovations will impact us in the long-term so it’s important to keep on top of your health and make an appointment with a healthcare provider if you have any concerns.