Top HealthTech Solutions Saving Millions of Lives During COVID

If you told me a year ago that the world would face a huge pandemic in the coming year and humans will be forced to a lockdown, the first thought that would pop up in my mind would be, “This guy watched too many fantasy movies'’. 

Little did I know, that we were going to face an apocalypse in 2020. 

As 2020 hits in with a shocking note, not all of the plans were supposed to be realized. The rapid spread of Coronavirus keeps the whole world under a massive lockdown, and the only thing that keeps our struggle alive is Telemedicine and advanced software solutions on Healthcare and Wellness Industry. 

Billions of people and businesses are switched to remote working. The world now has two missions: 

1. To find vaccination 
2. To diminish the negative effects of COVID-19 on the world economy

As the key prevention to the spread of Coronavirus is the absence of any communication, the world’s urged to complete digitalization, which is possible only upon the dependence on Healthcare software solutions. Various options of remote working have already been put into action in order to reduce in-person communication and negative economic outcomes.

CodeRiders is also switched to complete remote working meantime keeping its strong working routine and company philosophy.

In this turmoil, there are still some industries that are having a moment.

If you’re a provider in The Healthcare and Wellness Industry and are looking for digital solutions to give a boost to your services during the lockdown, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we'll talk about:

• ·       The term, “Telemedicine”
• ·       The evolution of telemedicine
• ·       Software solutions in the Healthcare Industry and the impact of COVID-19

WHAT IS TELEMEDICINE

The history of telemedicine dates back to 1970s. Over the years more software solutions have been implemented in the industry. Today over 90% of state and private healthcare establishments are developing or have already developed healthcare software solutions.

Telemedicine is defined according to the WHO (World Health Organization) as:

“The delivery of healthcare services, where distance is a critical factor, by all healthcare professionals using information and communication technologies for the exchange of valid information for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of healthcare providers, all in the interests of advancing the health of individuals and their communities”. 

According to the same source, telemedicine is among the crucial software services that strengthen The Health System Response to COVID-19 policy. Thus within the optimizing service delivery action, telemedicine should be one of the alternative models for clinical services and clinical decision support. 

Telemedicine helps people: 

• Make healthcare accessible to rural or isolated communities 
• Make medical services more available for people who lack time, have limited mobility or transportation issues
• Get easy access to medical professionals
• Improve communication and monitoring between healthcare professionals and patient

Telemedicine providers get the following benefits: 

• ·       Use of electronic medical records
• ·       Use of AL diagnosis and medical streaming devices which make patients’ diagnosis and treatments easier
• ·       Possibility to communicate with the patients in real-time remotely and adjust treatment plans if necessary. 

Currently, almost every country in the world releases the state official COVID-19 app, which is easily installed on smartphones and gives updated information on the current situation, provides online tests, declaration forms to fill in before leaving the house, etc.

2020 is a decisive period in the history of the Health and Wellness industry. USA, Israel, UK, Nordics, Armenia, and France have always been major telemedicine providers and together with the whole world, they are now united to develop more advanced healthcare mobile applications, web-based solutions, cutting-edge technologies to diagnose, hospitalize and treat patients with Coronavirus in a short time.

Meantime Software development outsourcing is being a key component for fast and easy service. Armenia is among the world’s leading software outsourcing countries. The demand for software outsourcing in Armenia is being duplicated following the rise of the terrific COVID-19 pandemic. CodeRiders has also experienced these changes.

There are 3 common and general types of telemedicine: 

Interactive Medicine: Allows patients and doctors to get in touch in real-time while maintaining HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance. 

Store and Forward: Allows doctors or physicians to share information with another colleague remotely. 

Remote Patient Monitoring: Doctors or physicians have the chance to monitor their patients remotely at their own homes by using mobile medical devices.

HOW IS TELEMEDICINE SET UP?

Previously telemedicine and its software solutions were made for specific institutions, such as: 

1. Hospitals and clinics
2. Healthcare and Health Insurance providers 
3. Medical Device Manufacturers 
4. Laboratories 
5. Pharmaceuticals 
6. Biotechnology companies and CRO (Contract Research Organization)

Today these medical software solutions unite several medical organizations into one virtual network. The network usually includes nationwide clinics, private and state clinics, rehab centers, as well as registered patients within their locations. This means the incorporation of their workflow and departments through more complex software solutions. The software usually includes the following features: 

• EMR/EHR solutions (Electronic Medical Records and Electronic Health Records)
• Audio and video conferencing and secure messaging
• Medical billing and online payment
• Electronic scheduling and setting appointments
• Various analytics and reporting
• Secured uploads of images and files
• HIE (Health information exchange and health insurance exchange)
• LIM (Laboratory Information Management)
• HMS (Hospital management system)
• Electronic prescription
• Custom Software for pharmaceuticals and Biotech companies (if the hospital owns one)

We, at CodeRiders are also offering a wide range of software solutions including but not limited to the above ones. CodeRiders also develops custom software solutions with all the required adjustments by the clients. 

The software is installed on a computer or mobile in seconds and people in a lockdown can easily connect with their doctors and get consultations. There are also web-based solutions that don't require installation for those who avoid it. Home-use portable medical devices help caregivers monitor everything from vitals to glucose levels, lab test results, MRT, CT results, etc.

Secured HIPPA compliant video conference tools easily give access to secure consultations. Doctors can also discuss specific medical cases remotely by sharing detailed medical images through high-resolution digital cameras. Robust telemedicine software makes data storage and video conferencing possible. 

At the end of the day, telemedicine helps provide healthcare services more efficiently. Electronic medical records, Al diagnoses, and medical streaming devices make diagnosis and treatment easier. 

IS IT SECURE TO USE ONLINE HEALTH PLATFORMS?

Several security laws, PHI (Protected Health Information), HIPPA compliance, and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations were adopted during these years. Some of the most important ones are laws and regulations on: 

• Mobile Medical Applications
• Medical Devices
• Regulations.gov
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)
• The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT)
• Business Associate Agreement
• Medical licensing 
• Patient Consent 

We, at CodeRiders understand the laws around protected health information and deliver secure solutions, which are fully compliant with the above as well as other compulsory standards and regulations. 

It's out of denial that COVID-19 is a new fresh start for the whole world. Countries, individuals will adopt a new life approach, many industries will rearrange their working routine and company infrastructure. New healthcare software solutions will be implemented for a better and more efficient lifecycle. Many rapidly growing industries will come to stay, including Telemedicine and advanced software solutions on Healthcare and Wellness Industry.