Introduction
The phrase “e-health” refers to “Internet medicine” as well as almost everything else connected to computers and healthcare. It appears that industry leaders and marketing professionals, not academics, were the first to adopt the word. To bring the promises, principles, and excitement (and hype) surrounding e-commerce (electronic commerce) to the health arena and to give an account of the new possibilities the Internet is opening up for the area of health care, they created and used this term in line with other “e-words” such as e-commerce, e-business, e-solutions, and so on.
E-health emerged in the modern world as a result of the demand for better patient tracking of their healthcare and operations, notably for purposes of reimbursement from organizations like insurance companies. In the past, healthcare professionals kept paper records of the patient’s history and current condition. However, the development of an electronic tracking system was pushed by rising healthcare expenses and technological advancements. The field of telemedicine, in which a telecommunications medium is utilized to deliver medical care remotely, evolved as e-health technology advanced.
Growth of E-health
The e-health industry saw tremendous expansion following the epidemic, with several new companies being created as “buddies” for e-health treatment. such as the market leaders in a positive way right now, Oura Health, Vantage Health, Mendelian, and HealthifyMe. They target those who are looking for economical healthcare facilities by offering E-health at lower prices. Accessibility from the East is another aspect of e-health care brands. Some benefits of e-health care facilities include quality, improved doctor-patient relationships, a wider audience, better communication, tracking of health, and convenience of follow-ups.
Impact of technology on E-health
The recently introduced 5G services will present an ocean of chances for e-health services, according to a study by “EY.” In addition to accelerating the deployment of telemedicine, 5G may improve the interaction between health sensors, algorithms, and smart gadgets.
In 2021, the size of the global e-health market was estimated at USD 97,640.4 million. By 2030, it is anticipated to reach USD 338,147.7 million, expanding at a CAGR of 14.8% over the forecast period (2022-2030). As we can see, the fast-expanding e-health sector is changing how healthcare is provided. This caused a large portion of the population to switch from conventional healthcare practices to electronic health. Now, more and more nations are looking for a digital strategy. The market is expanding as a result of rising government measures to encourage e-health solutions, an increase in chronic diseases, and a growing requirement to employ e-health to manage regulatory compliance.
Rise of E-health in today’s world
According to a poll of more than 11,000 consumers across 16 nations, consumers still view health and fitness as “essentials,” right up there with groceries and domestic cleaning supplies, even in the face of general insecurity and financial difficulties. 80% of poll participants indicated they intended to maintain or increase their spending on areas connected to health and fitness in the coming year, such as exercise classes or vitamins and supplements, even though two-thirds (66%) of respondents stated they feel financially stressed.
Source: Accenture consumer public survey
Regardless of income levels, people have redefined health and well-being as essential goods and intend to maintain or increase their spending in this area this year, according to Oliver Wright, a senior managing director at Accenture and the global leader of the company’s Consumer Goods & Services industry practice. “With the global spend on health and wellness expected to reach more than $1 trillion by 2025, consumer-facing companies must draw on cross-industry expertise, scientific advancements, and technological innovations while also taking consumers’ shifting priorities into account when developing new offerings.” Thus, as health requirements rise along with innovation, people are more tolerant of e-health.
Source: Deloitte
Healthcare customers desire both easy access to medical care and positive interactions with their doctors. However, if forced to pick one, they would go with convenience. To address this, more than half of the survey participants expressed interest in implementing solutions that would enhance the consumer experience by lowering the time and difficulty associated with obtaining care. In fact, over the next three to five years, 61% of respondents intend to spend money on patient communication technologies like telehealth and messaging capabilities with their medical staff. Other consumer-specific capabilities that businesses are wanting to invest in at this time include online appointment scheduling and virtual registration.
Future of E-health and its role in the Pandemic
The system of E-health relies on interoperable digital systems to exchange information on health operations, and in the future, information from these systems might be exchanged between other nations to enhance healthcare administration. This enables inhabitants of one country who travel elsewhere for a vacation to receive better healthcare and medicine prescriptions there. Additionally, this will help the medical tourism sector as well.
Robotics and artificial intelligence will be used more frequently in the future. Even though it will be difficult in the future for robots to operate on people, doctors are now utilizing AI to diagnose illnesses. The goal of digital healthcare in the future is to put medical facilities close to the people. M-health technologies can track patients’ vital signs and keep an eye out for anomalies. so that consumers can consult a doctor before the issue worsens This lowers the fatality rate and medical malpractice.
The covid-19 pandemic has already demonstrated the value of e-health technology since most hospitals were operating at limited capacity and postponing procedures as a result. As a result, during the epidemic, E-health applications were employed to maintain communication and improve patient care. All of this technology was, however, interoperable and required fast internet connections. To reduce the distance between doctors and patients, internet penetration would rise in the future, for instance with today’s 5G technology.
Summing it up
Last but not least, a stronger push for digital health may increase confidence in digital healthcare and increase dependence on medical websites. The vaccination movement, which is highly vocal and gaining traction through digital channels, is an example of this. The relationship between the medical staff and the patient is ultimately what drives health and wellness, but in today’s environment, digital platforms are supporting this interaction more than ever. The future standard of treatment might very well include the routine use of digital health instruments.
Blackcoffer Insights 46: Sahil Raghav, Rukmani Devi Institute of Advanced Studies, GGSIPU,Rohini
