What Health Care Learn from the Cyber World
Over the last few decades, cyber world has been rapidly evolving. Today, with the assistance of technology advances that continue to shape all industries, the health care sector could highly benefit form making use of many forms of tools in which is already being provided through the cyber world. Considering the vast array of things that can be done within the cyber world, the two most important things to consider are: 1) the countless information searches done daily and 2) the popularity of live video interaction.
Information Searches
Mangles (2018) indicates that Google’s search engine is used 3.5 billion times per day and that number is expected to steadily rise as time progresses. Weaver (2013) suggested that in 2013, around 80% of internet users had searched for health-related matters, often for specific medical information relating to specific diseases or medical problems, as well as treatments and health improvement methods including use of vitamins, exercise, and nutrition. While so much information is available in the cyber realm, the concerning matter is the sizeable amount of information that comes from individuals with no certified educational background, often using blogs. More concerning is that even though there are major websites like Mayo Clinic or the World Health Organization, there are also websites, such as The Onion, which provide dangerously false information and there are many people who are unaware of the intention of websites such as these.
To combat misinformation, the health care sector must consider how it can contribute to providing credible answers in relation to the many inquiries made through searches. For example, health care clinics and hospital chains could network together to determine several of the major and minor health concerns of the people residing in their area. Using this information, the health care agencies could then provide information regarding these concerns and make that information available through multiple means including flyers, social media sites, web hosting platforms, blogs, and more, tailoring the information distribution to the ways in which their local population seeks answers.
Video Interaction
The desire for live video interaction is ever-increasing and this is one area where the health care field can flourish. Telemedicine has been expanding to meet the growing needs of the population’s preferred methods for seeking treatment. To this end, video chatting has the potential to be the next big thing in the industry.
There are many health care chains that are embracing the concept of video chatting in order to provide medical care for people who are either unable to make it to a local clinic or for people who are ill and do not have the means or energy to travel. The health care giant local to Salt Lake County, Intermountain Healthcare, is one such organization that has begun integrating e-health services such as video chatting and it has been met with large engagement through provision of services like crisis care, infectious disease, critical care, and much more (Intermountain Healthcare, 2019). While e-health type of healthcare service is still in its infancy, if the industry continues to embrace it and learn from the experiences of engagement, healthcare services will become more and more available to those who seek medical assistance
Conclusion
Today, more and more people are turning to cyber world for information concerning their health needs and means of treatment for those needs. While the information that can be obtained through cyber space is vast and can be helpful, there is plenty of information available that is uninformed, unsupported clinically, or falsely displayed. To combat this issue, the health care sector must embrace the cyber world and provide credible information to people searching for answers to their ailments, whether it be through online forums, blogs, websites, or telehealth. By providing people with the information they need in cyber world, the healthcare industry stands to reduce harm to those seeking answers and improve the health outcomes of society at large.
References
Intermountain Healthcare (2019). TeleHealth. Retrieved from https://intermountainhealthcare.org/about/transforming-healthcare/innovation/clinical-support-services/telehealth/
Johnson, C. (2019).
Mangles, C. (2018). Search engine statistics 2018. Retrieved from https://www.smartinsights.com/search-engine-marketing/search-engine-statistics/
Weaver, J. (2013). More people search for health online. Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3077086/t/more-people-search-health-online/#.XMR_d-hKgVA
