The healthcare industry has long faced significant global challenges, such as clinical workforce shortages, aging populations, and access to care. These are complex and ever-evolving issues, that won’t be solved with a silver bullet. But we’re seeing progress driven by continuous transformation and the rapid adoption of digital technology.
We’ve seen similar transformations play out in other industries – in entertainment, where streaming services are accessible 24/7, or travel, where booking a holiday can be done at the push of a button. Now the healthcare industry is equalising with these sectors, and the results are already having a huge impact.
As Chief Medical Officer of Bupa, I have witnessed firsthand how digital health is revolutionising our approach and delivering a better experience for our customers. From prescriptions ordered through a smartphone and delivered to your door, to AI-powered physiotherapy sessions for customers in Spain so that they can access healthcare when and where is convenient for them. Innovations like these and more are enhancing care, helping clinicians to make more informed decisions and making healthcare more preventative, accessible, and personalised.
We’re seeing widespread adoption of digital healthcare across all age groups and have over six million people using our digital health service, Blua, across 10 countries. And one demographic which has embraced digital healthcare is women, with recent Bupa research showing three quarters (73%) of women are open to using technology to improve their health and wellbeing. Our Blua data further shows that earlier this year, 20% of GP appointments at Bupa across the UK, Australia, Spain and Poland were virtual consultations, and 65% of those were for female patients. Access to virtual consultations means people are better able to fit appointments around their busy lives and prioritise their health, resulting in earlier diagnoses and better health outcomes.
Additionally, digital healthcare offers substantial benefits for women's health in areas such as maternal health. Throughout pregnancy, and in the first few years after birth, women need to attend more medical appointments. Now there are companies like Tytocare which offer a digital medical exam for pregnant women, from the comfort of their own home. The customer receives a device that allows them to examine their ears, lungs, throat, skin, abdomen, and temperature from home. During a virtual consultation, they can use this device to perform these tests under the doctor's guidance. This reduces any potential stress and the costs associated with traveling for in-person visits, enabling women to access care more promptly.
Anne Lepetit
Ultimately, the most effective form of healthcare is preventative, helping people to avoid being unwell in the first place. Wearable technology and remote monitoring devices enable continuous health tracking, allowing for early detection and effective management of a range of conditions. Blua’s health features can sync with wearable devices to produce extensive health data. For example, the ‘Monitor your Health’ programme, available for customers with chronic illnesses like arrhythmias or high blood pressure in Spain, connects real-time health data to a professional team of doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, personal trainers, and physiotherapists.
Similarly, AI-powered solutions have the potential to be transformative for mental health management. Evidence suggests that women are more prone than men to experience anxiety, depression, and somatic complaints, and there have been a number of developments in this space. For instance, Blua’s ‘Take care of your Mind’ feature aims to spot a potential health episode from the earliest symptoms such as changes in your sleep pattern, and tackle it in the early stages. Furthermore, there has been progress utilising AI to detect anxiety and depression from listening to people’s voices. This is an interesting area of development as one of the biggest blockers for people managing their mental health better is acknowledging they might be unwell.
As a healthcare provider, analysing customer data from digital healthcare services also helps us to measure how we’re doing, to make changes to existing pathways as a result and develop new strategies to ensure engagement and adherence to health programmes. More accurate data leads to more accurate diagnoses and real-time insights, enabling personalised and proactive care. This not only improves outcomes but also eases the burden on healthcare systems by preventing complications and reducing hospital admissions – overall, increasing access to care.
Despite the wide-ranging challenges facing the global healthcare industry, transformational developments through digital health are revolutionising patient care in unprecedented ways. While the effects of such advancements are yet to be fully realised, it’s encouraging to see women in particular taking proactive steps to embrace digital solutions.