After Covid-19, When the Care Recipient is Elsewhere, What’s Next for Technology?

Technology usage has climbed sharply during Covid-19.  Pew Research notes 53% of responders in April consider the Internet as ‘Essential’–  although, no surprise, the oldest did not. And Nielsen observed that the pandemic was a catalyst for the rise of tech use for working at home and shopping, among other uses. In addition, telehealth usage has skyrocketed, with virtual doctor visits expected by Forrester Research to top 1 billion by years end. The spike has been attributed to a) the declaration of a state of emergency in March; b) introduction of Medicare/Medicaid coverage matching in-person visits; and c) encouragement from hospitals and medical practitioners.  

A technology transformation is underway, greater than the sum of its parts. First the confusion. One article author cites the growth of digital health but swaps in terms like “remote services” and “virtual consultations.” After decades of pushing the telehealth rock uphill, the market value of individual firms, like Livongo, has skyrocketed. But other categories of usage and their user groups are also coming into focus – consider the multiple examples in senior living during the visitation lockdown. Not just telehealth, but robots for cleaning or engagement technologies to mitigate isolation are ramping up. Up next, more experimentation and usage of what is available today and in-house. Further, the home care and home health companies see the opportunity to boost deployment of technology – and they’re moving aggressively forward – with engagement tools, remote patient monitoring (RPM), analytics and AI, sensors in the home.   

Consider the components of next generation remote technology to deliver care.  As the world settles into a post-pandemic phase, what will matter most for the care of and benefit for older adults? Of course, ramping up access to technology using what’s available today is a good start. Organizations everywhere are rallying to the need to fix or solidify connectivity, whether as part of national policy directive, care delivery, family pressure, staff retention, or maintaining service delivery.  These include senior housing, skilled nursing facilities, home care, home healthcare, or healthcare providers.  What technology considerations will need to be next, moving from a desperate to a more measured pace?

Next generation: What are the dimensions of remote care technology?  After the re-opening and stabilization phase of businesses in 2020 and beyond, delivery organizations will want to do a better job of delivering care in its many forms -- when the care recipient is elsewhere. What will be the priority?  Telehealth demands continued investment -- phone, video, remote patient and/or device monitoring. Along with telehealth, will wearables for health and wellbeing be a priority post Covid-19? What about Voice First engagement technologies – or other tools for caregiver teams and family connection?  And for home care – is there a better way to engage and retain the worker? What changes will be wrought in smart home categories – sensors, robotics, predictive analytics in a post-Covid world? And not least, with the pandemic at some point behind them, how/will senior-focused organizations change their usage of technologies in the coming years?  

[NOTE: This is a first in a series of blog posts about the Future of Remote Care Technology After Covid-19 – a Research Report to be published in Q4] -- thoughts welcome]