| | September 20218UTLOOKHealthcare Tech Keith Boettiger Telehealth has gained greater importance as COVID-19 created barriers to care, making technology essential for nearly all healthcare professionals who want to monitor and treat patients. As people continue to adapt and make remote visits the norm, the challenging next step will be to elevate the experience to better serve the needs of patients who require more than a prescription, referral or touch base with their physician. The next evolution of remote care will be to a true virtual care platform in which physicians can use digital technologies to administer care and monitor the progress virtually. Patients with chronic conditions, in particular, would benefit from this kind of advancement.While this kind of technology may seem only aspirational, in reality, investments in R&D over the past decade coupled with enhanced connectivity have led to advanced virtual care solutions that are already offering new hope to the nearly 60 million Americans who suffer from chronic pain and certain movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. Personalized, patient-centric therapies that fit into the patient's life rather than requiring them to adjust to the technology have already changed the way these conditions are managed. Now, advancements in neuromodulation, an essential therapy that works by delivering electrical treatment directly to a targeted area to alter nerve activity, are taking the concept a step further and allowing patients to receive care beyond clinic walls. IN MY OPINIONBy Keith Boettiger, President, Abbott [NYSE:ABT]THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF REMOTE CARE
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