Digital health and medical technology evolved extensively during the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced health care leaders and medical professionals worldwide to find new and innovative methods to provide care, connect with patients and communicate with team members.
In addition to new technologies, the unique challenges of the pandemic paved the way for innovation and creative uses for existing technology, as clinicians scrambled to find ways to work around many new obstacles.
Which existing and emerging technologies affect nurses most? What are some of the problem-solving tools nurses continue to use during and after the pandemic?
Telemedicine
Telemedicine’s popularity and use rate grew immensely during the pandemic. The CDC reports that telehealth usage reached unprecedented levels during the pandemic, citing a 154% increase in a single week of March 2020. Registered nurse Glenda Hargrove says telemedicine was a life-changer for her during the past year. “Before the pandemic, it was a luxury. Since the pandemic, it has become a necessity,” Hargrove stated.
Despite the accelerated growth of telemedicine, the future of this technology remains unclear, according to some health tech experts. While telehealth provides many conveniences, there are still some areas where improvement is needed. For example, a recent RAND Corp. study revealed the growth was disproportionately high among the most affluent metropolitan areas, while use lags in less affluent locations. Physicians and health experts insist many questions remain about the future of telemedicine post-pandemic.
Messaging, networking and teleconferencing apps
If nurses weren’t already using team messaging apps before 2020, they likely are now relying on Slack, Teams, Skype or some sort of similar app to stay connected with co-workers. Effective workplace communication during lockdowns and social distancing relied heavily on digital technology and online resources.
“We use Microsoft Teams. We have it on the computer and phones and are able to use video, share screens, have virtual patient rounds, share data in spreadsheets in ways that basic Excel does not allow,” said Regina Brigman-Lake, MSN, RN, and VP/CNO at Cancer Treatment Centers of America Atlanta. “It’s a helpful, HIPAA compliant tool for telehealth, as we use it for ICU and hospital rounds in addition to communicating between clinic teams and infusion.”
Of course, Zoom teleconferencing has enjoyed a major boom, and has even prompted new workplace lingo and etiquette. A Chicago nurse recently explained her team’s affinity for Zoom to HealthcareITNews, describing it as a lifesaver and “game-changer.” Gwendolyn Oglesby-Odom, CNO of Advocate Aurora Health, said her team uses Zoom to conduct telehealth visits through their electronic medical record software, adding that Zoom also allowed their COVID-19 patients to connect with family members remotely during lockdowns.