We owe so much to the frontline heroes that serve society in critical times. The pandemic has shown us just how important and under-appreciated these individuals are. We owe them a debt of gratitude. Healthcare is one of those areas where we see both heroics and exposure. The lack of digital progress has been exposed across sectors by the virus. That is the bad news. The good news is that extreme events like this can serve as accelerants. This recent Article describes the turning point that COVID-19 likely represents for healthcare. Rethinking healthcare for the digital age should be a top priority (as it should across all industries).

Per the article: “COVID-19 has brought 2025 to 2020. In all its tragedy, it has become a catalyst for change – a defining moment for all of us to reimagine healthcare the way it should be.” The article describes seven examples of how digital transformation in healthcare has shifted into a higher gear in response to COVID-19 – and how these developments might continue into the future. Here are the seven ways that the virus is accelerating innovation in healthcare:

• Digital engagement and personalized care
• Portable ultrasound brings diagnostics to the point of care
• Standardized presets and protocols help perform diagnosis first-time-right
• Remote image reading surges – and enables real-time virtual collaboration
• Central coordination is critical in adapting to demand and capacity changes
• Interoperability and patient data exchange are more vital than ever
• Artificial intelligence helps turn data into fast and meaningful insights

The article states that COVID-19 is accelerating innovation in areas such as remote patient monitoring, introducing new ways to support caregivers and patients from the hospital to the home, across the health continuum, all building on interoperable digital platforms. The virus has pulled together healthcare professionals, scientists, and IT experts in ways that have collapsed the innovation window. Explore the seven innovation paths in the article above. This extreme event may accelerate the path to a Wellness Ecosystem. As we evolve towards that ecosystem, our ability to Personalize expands. Data is likely the biggest challenge, as we struggle to enable Connected Health.

Explore other pandemic topics via the links below.

FEATURED: A Post Pandemic Society

• Eight Trends Amplified By COVID-19
• Bill Gates Looks At Life After COVID-19
• Covid-19 Leaves Its Mark on Real Estate
• The Pandemic Is Impacting Multiple Domains
• A Glimpse Into Your Views On Catalysts For Change
• The Future Of The Office And Changing Work For The Better
• Tectonic Shifts Expected As Digital Expands
• COVID-19 Is Not Slowing Artificial Intelligence Down
• What History Tells Us About Deglobalization
• The Augmented Age: An Accelerated Path
• The Personalized Health Ecosystem
• Aftershocks and Opportunities: Scenarios For A Post-Pandemic Future
• The Emergence Of New Commerce Centers And More
• Some Job Opportunities Likely To Expand
• The Far Reaching Implications Of A Shifting Work Dynamic
• Reflect, Reimagine, and Reset
• Human Behavior Determines The Path
• The Technologies And trends Accelerated By COVID-19
• Blasting Into A Contactless Future
• Digital Learning And Resilient Supply Chains
• Will Coronavirus Accelerate the Path To A Surveillance State?
• Does COVID-19 Accelerate The Loss of Jobs To Automation?
• Lack Of Comfort In Close Spaces
• A Post-Pandemic Virtual Roundtable
• Learning From Leaders Around The World
• A Digital Divide
• What Behavior Changes Will Stick?
• 30 Top Experts Describe The Things That Will Change Forever
• Global Economic Recovery
• Does COVID-19 Change Your View of Innovation?
• COVID-19 As An Accelerant
• COVID-19 Tuesday Morning News
• How Long Until The Economic New Normal?
• We Must Think Critically and Differently
• How Might The World Respond?
• Rehearsing Possible Post COVID-19 Futures
• Possible Futures Emerging Across Multiple Domains
• More Thought Leaders Weigh In On A Post Pandemic Future
• Mid-Pandemic Impact on Supply Chains
• Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery Scenarios
• Is The Canary Dead?
• How Will The Corona Virus Impact Globalization?
• The Corona Virus Serves As A Catalyst For Change
• Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery Scenarios
• COVID-19 Monday Morning News
• Anatomy Of An Outbreak
• Discussing A Post-Pandemic Society on Salem Radio Network
• The COVID-19 Economic Impact On China and a Glimpse Of The Future
• Assessing A Post Pandemic Future: A Video
• Coronavirus: Permanent Change? 34 Big Thinkers Explore the Possibilities
• Futurist Gerd Leonhard Looks Back From The Near Future