Health and technology: a synergy that accelerated with the pandemic and is predictable in the future

The pandemic was a before and after in terms of technology and health, And it changed the way patients related to doctors, especially with the rise of telemedicine. “We have been climbing systematically and progressively with remote assistance since 2015. Thanks to this, when the pandemic started, we were ready to take care of our patients,” explained Mariano Allende Iriarte, OSDE’s deputy manager of emergency medicine.

The Executive specifies that, as of today, The company has conducted 933,000 virtual consultations with a launch of over one million by the end of the year. “The satisfaction rate of over 97% is very high,” said Allende Iriarte, during the second chapter of Wellness & Health organized by LA NACION, where he, along with other experts in the field, gave his opinion and vision of Argentina’s potential . and field in the world of health.

As defined by Leandro Zuza, Associate Director of the Integrated Solutions Business Unit in Becton Dickinson Conno Sur, a company dedicated to innovating in the world of diagnostics, The pandemic left two important changes: a new way of working and a huge boom in technology. “We had to develop a test in a very short period of time that normally takes years of research through our technology,” the executive explained, referring to the PCR tests that the firm conducted in a healthcare system in just 45 days. .

In turn, Philips South Region Healthcare Informatics business leader Pablo Santos explained that Argentina has always been a leader in Latin America in technology and medical informatics. “The pandemic exposed a number of conditions for institutions to access their patients due to the lack of digital maturity, so based on that, it made the market more permeable,” said Ignacio Federico, LA, a bioengineer by profession. illustrated in NACION journalist and panel moderator.

Santos explained that the main objective of the company is focused on Health technology and medical informatics. They began operations in 2019 with electronic medical record software, so the pandemic finds them one step ahead. “We were able to go a long way with the institutions in the response we give to our patients,” he said.

How is the day after the pandemic? “Definitely Telemedicine is here to stay. Today we are 65% virtual visits and 35% face to face. It doesn’t replace the doctor who has to come to your home for more serious emergencies, but our challenge is here to keep going. For those who do not find the virtual system compatible, we also understood that more communication channels should be opened: telephone, WhatsApp and even a mobile platform,” explained Allende Iriart from Osde.

Technology innovation plays a vital role in health. “An early diagnosis means a 70% chance of survival at five years, and a late diagnosis, 58%. The effect is very strong, we’re talking about a middle of life”, says Zuza, who indicates That they have the technology to make early diagnosis, which can differentiate between sick or healthy cells in a matter of hours.

What technical challenges remain in telemedicine and to what other areas is the technology expanding? “The challenges are always people and technology, so as health institutions we have to look at how we build that bridge between those two points. Specifically, in telemedicine we are working to increase access to health, especially in Latin America, where 30% of the population does not have access to quality medical care. In that sense, we try Democratize access to health, In addition, today we are also working on being able to expedite diagnosis with technology that allows it to be done, regardless of what the patient or professional has indicated to attend to the case,” Santos said. Told.

electronic prescriptions It was one of the great advances of recent years. “It was a radical change: paper is not used, access is 7×24 and we have an agreement with all pharmacy lines to make the process easier for members. This is clearly a benefit from where you can make it to the environment, from a social and economic perspective”, revealed Allende Iriarte, reaffirming the company’s commitment to progress at this point.

With regard to health trends, the Becton Dickinson executive explained the importance of Timely diagnosis: “It has to do with certainty, that is, with speed, but without losing accuracy. Also a very strong trend in the world is to diagnose the patient, not take the patient to the laboratory. In terms of benefits in the healthcare system Decentralization of access is very strong, but for that we also need connectivity.

The future of health in the context of technology triggers new behaviours. “Something that’s here to stay Consumerization of Health: Patients want to consume their data and what it does is help you stay more engaged with your treatment and understand it better. In short, it has a positive effect, which is to engage the patient”, closed Santos.