How Medical Device Manufacturers are Preparing for the Spike in At-Home Care

The way we administer care is changing. Learn how device manufacturers are adapting their products to meet the new demand for at-home care.

The popularity of at-home care is on a steady rise.

The United States Census Bureau predicts that by 2050, 84 million Americans will be 65 or older. The number of patients that are not willing to or are not able to leave their home for more frequently necessary doctor visits is rapidly increasing. And with technology like smartphones, cloud services, and online retail delivering lightning-quick service from home at a moment’s notice, patients are beginning to expect the same convenience out of their healthcare.

So how do device manufacturers step up to meet those expectations?

1.) Embrace Patient Empowerment

As patients seek out care within their own homes, they begin to play a more active role in their healthcare- they desire information about their health so they can make educated decisions about their treatment.

Manufacturers should expect some competition in more patient-oriented devices that provide valuable insight into patient healthcare journeys.

With patients being the intended users of these devices, manufacturers will also want to pay attention to the personalization capabilities of their devices. Patients want to be empowered through education of their ailments/treatments and their physicians will want to help deliver on that front with the right tech. This means they’ll want tools that engage their patients without making noticeable impacts on their daily routine. Medical devices specifically for home use should provide easy-to-navigate interfaces and function intuitively without demanding too much input from their users.

2.) Brace for the Data Storm

Patients aren’t the only ones demanding transparency when it comes to healthcare. Federal legislation is also planning on pushing for open data sharing in 2020 to promote interoperability and enhanced patient engagement.

With this open data sharing, both physicians and patients will have access to wide swaths of data. Everything from patient health literacy and nutrition to socioeconomic factors stand to be available to both parties to promote informed care. Naturally, device manufacturers will notice competition in devices that seek to consolidate all of this data into one system.

Device manufacturers looking to fill this need must understand that data accuracy is absolutely paramount. Physicians know better than anyone that one overlooked piece of information can lead to adverse patient outcomes. By looking for a new device, they plan on mitigating both their liability and those outcomes, making accuracy a golden selling proposition for data-gathering devices.

3.) Double Down on Defense

With more data and information systems, more avenues of cyberattack become available.

With all of this data, cybercriminals stand to steal much more valuable information than they did previously. It’s the device manufacturer’s responsibility to address those security concerns.

Devices that employ Imprivata SSO certified hardware such as smart card readers can be a sound selling point for those looking to create devices backed by proper cyberdefense.

Regardless of the route traveled, device manufacturers should be prepared to provide documentation to the FDA of processes undertaken to address rising cybersecurity risks.

2020 Medical Devices are all About the Patient

Manufacturers who use those insights to create devices meant to address developments such as today’s obsession with health data and patient engagement are likely to see success. For more information on how your devices can meet this changing demand in at-home care, contact a specialist from Cybernet today.