The Big Pharmaceutical Industry Trends for 2022

4. Telemedicine: Patients’ perspectives on remote care

We saw the pandemic spur quick adoptions of new technologies across every industry. Perhaps one of the most profound transitions was the adoption of telehealth.

The medical field had been slow on the uptake when it came to digitalizing appointments and consultations, but the pandemic backed all of us into a corner. Suddenly, the safer approach to routine appointments or physicals involved video-chatting with your physician. Telehealth was thought to provide multiple benefits, from reducing potential Covid-19 exposure to preserving personal protective equipment and helping patients with chronic conditions and disabilities receive the care they need without putting them at risk.

We created a query using several terms that people might use to describe the industry and related activities, such as ‘digital health’, ‘telehealth’, ‘teladoc’, ‘virtual care’, etc.

At first glance, the conversation around the topic saw an increase in the early months of the pandemic. Google Trends also suggested that there’s been a dramatic upward trend in search interest around telemedicine since March 2020.

Video conferencing and internet check-ups will continue to be a popular option for weary patients, immunocompromised individuals, and other people of high risk (as well as those who like the convenience). Regardless, pharmaceutical leaders should keep their eye out for emerging tech to expand their telecommunication capabilities and check in with patients to ensure they’re meeting needs.