Digitalisation: the future of health care

Abstract

Purpose
The health care industry is way behind other industries in adopting digital technology, even though there have been rapid advances in big data and data analytics. The health care industry has adopted the first two generations of technology changes with ease but is finding it difficult to adopt the third level of digitalisation due to several factors. There have been rapid advances in the last few decades in health care informatics – electronic health record systems, genomics, remote diagnostics, wireless technologies, wearables, context-aware computing and cellular technologies that are changing the scene of the health care industry. Big data and data analytics will change the health care delivery system if adopted. The convergence of these technologies will result in a health care delivery system far ahead of customer expectations.

Approach
The objectives were achieved by secondary research. The main method for research was to identify high technology companies in the IT sphere and analyse the research work being done and the products or services developed by these companies in health care by using big data and data analytics. Do they have any commercially viable products or services and how are they useful to the health care industry? Work done by major research institutions on health care was analysed to arrive at the findings. Scholarly articles on health care digitalisation and relevant books were also referred to.

Findings
The benefits of big data are entirely dependent on how the electronic health record system develops and integrates itself into the routine of various hospitals, health care providers, doctors, diagnostic labs, etc. Genomics is being billed as a disruptive technology and game changer in health care. Genomics will transform the health care industry like never before. The pharma industry is making steady progress in “pharmacogenomics”, which means developing medicines to suit individual patients’ genetic profiles. This will ultimately lead to custom-made health care through digital technology. The new innovations in diagnostic wearable devices with sensors along with big data and big data analytics supported by context-aware computing in real time will lead us to global health care and health delivery models and hospitals which will be highly cost-effective. Digital technology can be used for predictive, preventative health care. Digital technology, with the help of big data and data analytics, will be able to provide remote health care.

Research limitations/implications
Further research can be undertaken on genomics data banks from cities to nations to the whole planet and on prediction of epidemics through data mining and analytics, gene-based therapy based on hard data, pharmacogenomics, predictive health care based on data analysis or genomics, preventative health care through analytics, surgery robotics, and context-aware health care at home.

Practical implications
Through digitalisation and data analytics health care providers will not be selected by patients based on country, city or geographical location but based on the expertise the patients require. The other determinants could be the cost, convenience of health care delivery and quality. The selection of a health care provider will take place at a global level as health care will transform into a world hospital offering the lowest cost anywhere at any time.

Social implications
Health care will become available to the underprivileged at an affordable cost in any part of the world. Digital technology will make it possible to have home-based health care with real-time expert advice from anywhere in the world. Corporations and NGOs may look to the underprivileged to support remote health care.

Originality/value
The world is facing a serious health crisis. New diseases are infecting human beings. This research work provides direction in the areas where digitalisation, with the help of big data and data analytics, can make the world a healthy place for all to live in.

Category of paper: Technical