In the classic 1967 film The Graduate, Mr. Robinson mentored young Benjamin with this advice: “I just want to say one word to you. Just one word: PLASTICS”. Today’s advice as Benjamin looks for a career in healthcare is equally profound…“I just want to say one word to you. Just one word: DIGITAL”.
Call it ‘techceleration’ — the speed of digital technology sweeping across the health care landscape is unprecedented. And its technology with purpose: helping consumers take ownership of their health, by making it easier to self-diagnose a condition, change a health habit, enable compliance with a course of treatment, or interact with their community of care providers. Health technology is no longer narrowly focused on treating patients once they develop a condition, it’s become a proactive wellness and prevention tool to inspire better health habits that help people live a longer, qualitatively better life.
The pandemic was a game changer for digital health. With limits on face-to-face health care interactions, digital and virtual care advanced on the maturity curve faster than anyone could imagine. Digital ‘anywhere’ is now an official ‘site of care’ in the consumer’s health continuum along with retail clinics, physician offices and emergency rooms. It brings a wide range of health solutions including wellness ‘bots’, smart toilets, digital therapeutics, AI-driven decision support tools, fall prevention wearables, and remote biosensors transmitting vital sign data.
The revolution is over. Digital has won. It’s now at the center of people’s personal and professional connections. It’s where we find ourselves every day, where culture and business meet. It’s health care for the digital consumer, whether GenZ, Millennial, GenX, or Boomer. They’re embracing technology and innovation for more convenience and better health outcomes. For payers and providers, it’s no longer about digital transformation. To succeed, they must renovate business models, reset value propositions, and reimagine customer journeys. Useability is everything.
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