The healthcare ecosystem as a whole faces a complex panorama that has required public and private institutions to find ways to improve sustainability and ensure operational efficiency, and technology is one of them.
Hospital Day is celebrated annually on July 2 to recall the vital importance of hospitals and the professionals who work in them. In Brazil, there are approximately 7,200 hospitals that serve millions of people every year and, despite being essential pillars for promoting health and treating diseases, they face a series of challenges. Ensuring sustainability and balancing increasing operational costs with the provision of quality care are some of the main ones, in addition to the management of human and material resources, as well as the constant need to update and maintain hospital infrastructure.
Technology and the incorporation of digital health have proven to be excellent allies in this scenario. The digitization of medical records, telemedicine, telehealth and remote monitoring systems are examples of innovations that increase the efficiency of health services. While telemedicine refers to clinical patient care, telehealth encompasses a broader collection of educational, administrative and non-clinical health activities. But, in general, these advances allow for faster and more accurate diagnoses, reduce the need for patient travel and optimize the management of hospital resources.
“We are talking about a transformative advance for hospitals, providing a series of benefits ranging from operational optimization to improved quality of patient care. The growing adoption of these technologies, supported by regulatory and educational initiatives, is paving the way for a more efficient, accessible and integrated future in the provision of health services. All of this brings benefits not only to the health ecosystem, but mainly to the population, which has the possibility of expanded access”, explains Michele Alves, executive manager of Saúde Digital Brasil.
Based on data compiled over the last ten years in the TIC Saúde study, conducted by the Regional Center for Studies for the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br) of the Information and Coordination Center of Ponto BR (NIC.br), there is a clear increase in the computerization of health facilities, mainly related to infrastructure and electronic systems, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The continuity of the survey allows us to examine how technological resources were integrated into health units and how this enabled the advancement of digital health in the country.
The most recent edition of the survey, launched by the Internet Steering Committee in Brazil (CGI.br), revealed an increase in the percentage of public establishments that offered distance learning (from 24% to 31%) and teleconsultation (from 15% to 21%), between 2022 and 2023. In the private sector, two out of every ten units provided services such as telediagnosis and teleconsultation.
Regarding the private sector, the National Association of Private Hospitals (Anahp) has a very optimistic view of the development of digital health in hospitals. The entity believes that the adoption of digital technologies has grown significantly and has had a positive impact on the sector and that the regulation of telemedicine was an important milestone in this process.
According to Evelyn Tiburzio, the entity's technical director, any advance resulting in benefits for the patient's health is welcomed, and the application of new technologies, such as sophisticated software and devices, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), has been immense, impacting everything from scheduling an appointment, which can be done via cell phone, to robotic surgery in which the equipment already receives information from the patient's exams for the procedure, as an aid to the doctor.
“Just to give you an idea of the digital scenario in the AI area, last year Anahp conducted a survey during the months of July, August and September 2023, in partnership with ABSS (Brazilian Association of Healthcare Startups) on the use of Artificial Intelligence in private hospitals. Of the 45 responding hospitals, 55.1% claim to have invested, in the last two years, in solutions that have AI as the basis for delivering value and solving problems; and 62.5% declare that they already use the technology in some way in their processes, including the creation of customer service chatbots, expanding information security and supporting clinical decision-making, in addition to improving medical image analysis”, he reinforces.
The survey also revealed that 51% of the hospitals that invested in AI obtained practical results, and that 38% of the respondents believe that startups can bring new approaches to the challenges of implementing the technology.
“More than just a benefit for institutions, this resource generates value for patients, who, through this technology, have the possibility of enjoying more qualified care,” reinforces the technical director, who adds, “The future of healthcare is also phygital, combining the physical and digital to create an integrated experience. Advances in technology, their implementation and management are factors that the healthcare system has ahead of it, especially in the most remote regions, since Brazil is such a large country in terms of territorial dimensions and socioeconomic differences.”
Saúde Digital Brasil has been working to lead and support this digital transformation movement, valuing ethics and excellence, which are very important in the healthcare sector. The entity is committed to improving the healthcare model and ensuring that each patient and healthcare professional who uses telehealth has a reference to guide their decisions, including the creation of a Good Practices Manual. “We want to ensure the sustainability of the sector. Therefore, we propose to bring technology providers, healthcare institutions, regulatory bodies and the government together to talk. We believe that there is no progress without this idea of uniting all links in the chain”, concludes the executive manager of SDB.
