Historically resisting the digital shift
Much of the healthcare industry’s resistance to digital transformation is cultural. At the most basic level, providers and insurers are accustomed to their processes and uk phone number list organizational structures that are not conducive to change. Additionally, outdated and/or inefficient IT infrastructures are a major barrier.
At a more systematic level, governments are playing an active role in guiding technological change in their health systems. For example, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was a concerted effort by the U.S. government to encourage widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs). While some 80% of practitioners have switched to some form of EHR system, a lack of uniformity and additional government guidance has hampered change.
On the other hand, the outbreak has presented new challenges that will drive innovation. For example, the ability to offer patients alternatives to traditional in-person office visits through means such as telehealth will move from a convenience to a necessity. In the short term, we have seen different healthcare entities embrace digital technologies.
So even if healthcare organizations aren't thinking about a long-term shift toward digitalization, the need to quickly adopt new processes to meet the challenges of COVID-19 will likely indirectly drive the industry there anyway.
