3 Healthcare Innovations for 2021

In the past year, the healthcare industry has undergone many changes. If you had your first virtual doctor’s visit in 2020, you experienced this firsthand. Advances in technology and changes in policy have increased the use of telemedicine, and physicians have embraced this. We expect telemedicine to continue to play an important role in healthcare, even beyond the pandemic.

Doctors—and healthcare providers in general—are becoming more and more tech-savvy, and that’s good news for patients.

Here are a few health innovations to look forward to in 2021:

1. Pacemakers You Can Check with Your Smartphone. In their Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2021, Cleveland Clinic highlighted a Bluetooth-enabled pacemaker that patients can use along with a mobile app to monitor their health data. In the past, pacemaker devices were monitored through a remote system that sends information to a physician. With the creation of this smartphone device, patients will now have the ability to monitor their own pacemaker giving them more insight into their health.
   
2. Growth of Online Mental Health Services. When the pandemic prevented people from visiting their mental health providers in person, many of them turned to companies such as YourDOST that provide mental health counseling and resources online. Although YourDOST was founded in 2015, it has grown rapidly in the past year and anticipates further growth in 2021. Online mental health services like this make it easy for people to get help whenever and wherever they need it, which is especially vital in times of crisis.
   
3. Large-Scale, Data-Driven Health Initiatives. The health tech company Color uses genetic research and data analysis to solve healthcare issues that affect a large population. In 2020, they developed the software and COVID-19 test collection kits that enable California to perform 150,000 tests a day. The company’s expansion plans include key health infrastructure systems across the U.S.—including programs to help manage Covid-19 vaccine delivery.

At Better Health Advisors, we understand the importance of health innovations like these, and we help our clients access the best possible care. If you have any questions for John and the BHA Team, email john@betterhealthadvisors.com.