From the digitalization of health to the importance of close care

Exactly two years ago, the world faced the reality of having to live in a pandemic. What we knew up until then ended up being shaped by uncertainty and fear, as infections, variants and cases multiply. But at the same time, it was also possible to create rapid and large-scale responses that would define our future. for the better.

Another look at covid-19, which focuses on good practices developed in response to the largest public health crisis of the past 100 years, leads us to the conclusion that the role of technology has been enhanced, by shortening distances, not only at the social level, but also in the field of Healthcare. But the digitization of the sector, so useful in times of stress, must take into account equitable and universal access to high-quality services. Only in this way will it be possible to reach everyone, especially the most vulnerable and those who have less access to information, such as the elderly or people in situations of exclusion.

The challenge of technological literacy is and will remain something that societies will have to respond to, requiring more investment for training and adaptation to new needs. It is noteworthy that at the end of 2019, an average European healthcare provider spent between 2.9% to 3.9% of its total annual spending on digital products and services.

Interoperability between systems is equally important, as different health facilities need to communicate with each other. Across the world, it is becoming clear that having common platforms allows easy access to data on vaccination, COVID-19 test results, and bed availability for hospitalization. The possibility to communicate and share information more effectively can be developed at the level of clinical practice itself, as it has the potential to detect and treat risk situations early. From a long-term, families-focused perspective, we have a unique opportunity to build and follow the clinical history of millions of people. However, the question of personal data and who has the right to access this data is urgent.

Covid-19 has also led us to inward thinking of loneliness and isolation, substituting human values ​​for the health and care provided. Examples of solidarity, both repetitive and animated, reaffirmed a (sometimes lost) sense of community and closeness. This proximity should also be pivotal to strengthening support in the home, and postponing institutional placements, especially for the elderly.

Offering individualized and humane care in the home, focused on the needs of each individual, enables improved responsiveness of health systems, which through teams in the field, are able to identify and monitor the evolution of the conditions in which older people live and their needs. In a hospital environment or in another unit, it will be impossible to know and, above all, to act preventively.