Technology Enabled Care (TEC) : The New Era of Health Care Services

Abstract

Connected health, also known as technology-enabled care (TEC), involves the convergence of health technology, digital media & mobile devices. It enables patients, care givers & healthcare professionals (HCPs) to access data & information more easily & improve the quality & outcomes of both health & social care. Today, much advancement has been achieved in mobile industry through the inclusion of GPS systems, accelerometers and even touch screens. Therefore, lots of applications and services have been developed and provided on mobile phones.
Other notable developments are the availability of healthcare ‘bio-sensing’ wearable, such as digital blood pressure monitors, glucose sensors & patient- healthcare provider access to real-time healthcare data & information. Additionally, smartphones are incorporating a growing range of sensors which monitor changes.
Although technology has the power to improve access to healthcare services, there are some limitations/barriers which can’t be overlooked. While apps provide information, many currently lack the functionality to do more in relation to health. People usually seek out varied information to deal with their health problems. However, to ensure the right information for the right person at the right time and place is a challenge. There is a lack of substantive reference information for consumers to base well-informed decisions about whether or not to adopt the applications they review and to ascertain the validity of the information provided by these e-health solutions.
There is enormous potential for further improvements across many aspects of health care provision, but only if the existing barriers can be overcome.