Access to quality healthcare is vital for the well-being of communities. However, delivering healthcare services remotely be challenging due to users’ technological sophistication, geographical constraints, limited resources, and infrastructure limitations. Depending on a country’s demographic mix, income and education levels can also play a role. Overall, 5G based solutions for healthcare promise to open new frontiers for better human health.
There are some key developments occurring in this space now, with better connectivity promising better outcomes with 5G rollouts. 5G promises to revolutionize healthcare by providing faster and more reliable connectivity, enabling seamless communication and data transfer between healthcare providers, patients, and devices. According to ABI Research, “5G will bring new levels of performance and efficiency to medical practices, allowing for the provision of higher-quality care and improved patient outcomes.”
How 5G can improve healthcare outcomes
5G will support the widespread adoption of telemedicine, allowing for remote consultations and monitoring, which can significantly reduce the need for in-person visits and lower healthcare costs. Additionally, 5G’s low latency and high capacity will empower the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), facilitating the use of real-time data analytics and AI-driven decision-making processes.
As a result, healthcare providers will be better equipped to offer personalized treatment plans and expedite the development of ground-breaking medical solutions. In the words of Ericsson, “5G has the potential to transform healthcare by providing the backbone for secure, real-time, and life-saving innovations.”
Even as the 5G rollouts begin, providers must start making investments in upgrading the end user layer of the healthcare system- patient facing communications infrastructure. And this is where CPaaS (Communications Platforms as a Service) comes in.
What is CPaaS?
Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) is a cloud-based delivery model that lets you add voice, video, and messaging features to your existing business software using APIs.
CPaaS is one of the fastest-growing communication industries today. It offers straightforward integration of real-time, cloud-based, customized communication services like video chat or two-factor authentication directly into an existing application. CPaaS is a type of PaaS (Platform as a Service) that serves as an easy way for developers to improve and integrate direct, real-time communication between users on an existing application without the need for a separate app. It is attractive to growing companies who already use a variety of software tools and want to add communication features without having to build them from scratch.
How does a CPaaS integrate with healthcare?
Integration into healthcare systems is a fundamental value proposition offered by CPaaS, as it enables seamless communication and data capture to generate valuable insights. By incorporating CPaaS into existing healthcare infrastructures, organizations can streamline information exchange between various stakeholders, including healthcare providers, patients, and medical devices. This interconnected ecosystem allows for real-time data analysis and evidence-based decision-making, which can lead to improved services and better patient outcomes.
Furthermore, CPaaS enables healthcare providers to tailor their communication channels and customize the user experience, ensuring that patients receive relevant and timely information. This comprehensive approach to data capture and analysis not only enhances the efficiency of healthcare delivery but also empowers organizations to continuously adapt and innovate, ultimately driving advancements in patient care and overall healthcare experiences.
Moving beyond measuring vitals and stats
The utilization of CPaaS in healthcare is paving the way for better outcomes by providing healthcare providers with advanced data aggregation and integration capabilities. One such feature includes the use of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) for generating transcripts, which streamlines the documentation process and ensures accurate record-keeping. As healthcare continues to transition towards a data-driven model, incorporating these communication channels allows organizations to establish robust long-term analytics and customer data platforms more efficiently.
A specific CPaaS solution offers capabilities that can significantly enhance healthcare providers’ ability to deliver patient-centric care. These capabilities include seamless integration of various communication channels, real-time data analysis, and support for emerging technologies such as ASR. By leveraging these features, healthcare providers can unlock valuable insights, streamline workflows, and improve patient experiences.
Truly integrated healthcare: a systems approach
By integrating communication channels such as video conferencing, instant messaging, and remote monitoring into telehealth platforms and hospital HRMS through APIs and SDKs, healthcare providers can offer more comprehensive and personalized care to patients, regardless of their location. This can also improve patient satisfaction by reducing the need for in-person visits and minimizing the time and cost associated with travel. Before we begin outlining the benefits of CPaaS, the basic problem at hand must be examined closely. Despite government’s best efforts and both volunteer organisations and private healthcare pitching in, providing secondary and tertiary care to sparsely populated areas always has challenges. Investments in imaging equipment are unlikely to bear fruit, and well-equipped surgical facilities will require heavy investments, without likely return for local populations or funding organisations, whether done by the private or government sectors.
Is there a way to overcome these challenges with the help of CPaaS and other communication technologies?
Enhancing Healthcare Outcomes with CPaaS
CPaaS enables healthcare providers to leverage advanced communication tools to deliver remote care services, making healthcare more accessible and efficient for patients in remote areas.
A key way in which CPaaS is a major upgrade on traditional business communication channels is its deep integration into various healthcare systems.
Another area where communication channel integration can be helpful is in electronic health records (EHRs). By incorporating secure messaging and document sharing capabilities into EHRs, healthcare providers can easily communicate with each other and share important patient information in real-time, which can help reduce errors and improve patient safety. Additionally, by integrating patient portals into EHRs, patients can access their medical information and communicate with their healthcare providers more easily, improving patient engagement and satisfaction.
These days, many hospital systems and device makers have also started building advanced systems for many chronic diseases which require constant patient monitoring. These range from fall detection alerts for musculoskeletal disorders, to constant glucose monitoring among other things. And as 5G use and on device AI capabilities improve, always on healthcare will be closer to reality than ever.
A CPaaS basically acts the end user layer between healthcare providers and patients, delivering better outcomes for hospitals, doctors, patients and their family seamlessly as per well-developed medical protocols. Some key benefits of using CPaaS in different areas of healthcare include:
- Telemedicine: CPaaS facilitates virtual consultations, reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for medical care.
- Remote Monitoring: Providers can remotely monitor patients’ health using IoT devices and other health monitoring tools, enabling timely intervention and improved health outcomes.
- Appointment Scheduling: CPaaS allows for easy scheduling and rescheduling of appointments, reducing wait times and improving patient satisfaction.
- Patient Engagement: Healthcare providers can send reminders, notifications, and educational materials, enhancing patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans.
- Data Security and Compliance: CPaaS solutions ensure secure transmission of patient data while maintaining compliance with healthcare regulations such as HIPAA.
Large Studies Demonstrating the Impact of CPaaS in Healthcare
- Study 1: A study conducted by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) found that using telehealth services significantly reduced hospitalizations and improved patient satisfaction among remote veterans. This study demonstrates the potential of CPaaS in extending healthcare services to remote areas and improving health outcomes. You can read more about the study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5717558/
- Study 2: A study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that using mobile health (mHealth) interventions improved access to care and health outcomes for rural and remote populations. The study highlights the potential of CPaaS in bridging the healthcare access gap in remote areas. You can read more about the study here: https://www.jmir.org/2017/10/e363/
CPaaS has the potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery in remote areas, improving access to care and ultimately leading to better health outcomes. By leveraging CPaaS solutions, healthcare providers can overcome the challenges of in-person care, making healthcare services more accessible, efficient, and effective for remote populations. As a CTO of a large hospital chain, adopting CPaaS can help your organization extend its reach and enhance the quality of care provided to patients in remote areas.
Using best video APIs for healthcare companies, a number of outcomes can be driven almost immediately. If video calls are a challenge, SMS and voice APIs can be combined to deliver high impact results, regardless of technology savviness of end customers:
Are you ready to explore how CPaaS can improve healthcare outcomes in your organization? Schedule a demo to discover the power of our tailored communication solutions for the healthcare sector.
Learn more:
View our solutions for the healthcare industry here.
Understand more about what a CPaaS can do for you here
The EnableX Video Platform is built using the best-in-class technologies and infrastructure to deliver best possible customer experience. With the use of WebRTC as the underlying real-time communication framework, we ensure seamless communication across end points and mobile devices. We offer native APIs and SDK’s along with hybrid frameworks – both for web and mobile applications including ReactNative, Flutter and Cordova to enable quick integration by developers.
