The COVID-19 pandemic altered people's perception of health and the way physicians attend to patients. Hospitals were crowded. The ability to pay a visit to clinics terrified many people. It was during that period when phones, apps, and online health tools maintained the connection between doctors and patients. Most of these digital tools are used even as the pandemic is now over. And they are assisting in some of the largest issues in healthcare currently.
Why Digital Health Still Matters After the Pandemic
During the pandemic, many people ceased to visit physicians personally. A report by the World Health Organization in 2021 indicated that more than 90 percent of nations experienced challenges of regular medical services during pandemic period. A visit to a physician, screening of cancer, and childhood immunization were postponed. At this point, the healthcare workers are still struggling to play up.
However, the development of digital health, the use of telemedicine, online doctor chats, health-monitoring applications, and online prescriptions provides people with an increased ability to receive care without entering hospitals. Such tools can be of great assistance to people who do not live near large cities or have issues with leaving their houses.
Telemedicine Is Now a Normal Part of Healthcare
Before 2020, most people had never talked to a doctor on a video call. But during the pandemic, telemedicine visits increased by more than 38 times, according to a study by McKinsey & Company in 2020. Many people found it faster and easier to talk to their doctors from home, especially for small health problems or follow-ups.
Now, many clinics still offer video visits. This saves time for both doctors and patients. It also helps hospitals stay less crowded. More doctors are also using remote tools to check blood pressure, sugar levels, and heart rates from patients who are not in the clinic.
Digital Tools Help with Mental Health
The pandemic did not just hurt people’s bodies. It also made mental health worse. Many people lost loved ones, lost jobs, or felt lonely during lockdowns. The World Health Organization shared that anxiety and depression rates grew by over 25 percent during the first year of the pandemic.
Apps and websites for mental health are helping fill this gap. These tools let people talk to therapists, learn stress control techniques, or track their mood each day. Some even use chat features to offer help anytime. For people who feel shy talking face to face or cannot find a local therapist, these tools are a real help.
Health Apps Keep People Informed and Involved
Today, there are thousands of health-related apps. Some help people manage diabetes, others remind them to take medicine, and some track steps, sleep, or water intake. During the pandemic, many people started using these apps to stay in control of their health. Now, many keep using them because they make health feel easier to manage.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also shared that people who use these apps are more likely to follow health advice and stay on track with treatment. When people feel like they have control, they tend to stick with their care plans better.
Online Health Records Make Life Easier
Before, people had to carry files or wait for hospitals to send test results. Now, many clinics offer patient portals. These are secure websites where people can see test results, doctor notes, and medicine lists.
According to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, over 60 percent of people in the US accessed their online health records in 2022. This means people can now look at their test results quickly, ask questions online, and even ask for refills on medicine—all without waiting in line or calling the clinic.
Digital Health Helps Doctors Work Better
Digital health is not just for patients. It also helps doctors and nurses. Electronic health records keep all patient info in one place. That saves time and helps avoid mistakes. Some systems also remind doctors if a test or vaccine is due.
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can help doctors read x-rays faster, spot health risks, or choose better treatments. A 2023 report from Stanford Medicine said that 40 percent of doctors now use some kind of AI support in their daily work. This helps doctors spend more time talking to patients and less time going through files.
Reaching More People in Remote Places
Many people live far from hospitals. In some countries, there may be just one doctor for thousands of people. Digital health tools are helping solve this problem. With just a phone and internet, people can talk to a nurse or doctor in another city or country.
In India, for example, a project called eSanjeevani has helped provide over 120 million telehealth visits across rural areas since 2020. This has helped many people who would otherwise not get any care at all.
What Still Needs to Get Better
Even though digital health helps in many ways, some problems remain. Not everyone has good internet or a smartphone. Older people or those who do not read well may find it hard to use apps or online tools. Also, not all doctors have training to use digital systems.
Privacy is another big concern. Health data must be kept safe. People want to be sure their health information will not be shared or used without their okay.
Governments and tech companies need to work together to fix these issues. They must build systems that are safe, easy to use, and available to more people.
The Future of Healthcare Depends on Digital Tools
Digital health will not replace doctors. But it will keep helping doctors do their job better. It will help more people stay healthy by making care easier to get and manage.
The big lessons from the pandemic are still with us. Health systems must be ready for anything. And digital tools give us more ways to prepare. As more people use phones and internet for health, the tools will also improve.
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
