Sustainability challenge and related SDGs
Access to health care and ensuring #HealthCareForAll is a real challenge, either due to financial costs or physical distance from #HealthInfrastructure. If someone has symptoms of illness, the first step is to get a diagnosis. Due to the financial cost of seeing a doctor, the possible delay in getting an appointment or the time it takes to see a doctor, some people put it off or even skip it entirely, which can cost lives.
In addition, without healthcare software, doctors cannot get access to patients’ information in real time or easily transfer these to a colleague. For example, if a person is unconscious and cannot say he or she is allergic to penicillin, it could lead to dangerous allergic reactions.
Possible solutions and their contribution to achieving the SDGs
In many cases, telemedicine can save lives, help diagnose pathologies and refer patients to specialists. It enables a quick diagnosis and helps to save costs by avoiding unnecessary visits to health facilities.
Telemedicine and #eHealth can therefore be an important resource for people living in remote regions.
Another component of #eHealth is healthcare software, which enables patient portals or drug databases. Having all data and patient information online is a big advantage when transferring patient information from one doctor or hospital to another. This saves a lot of time, which can be life-saving when treating serious illnesses or avoiding mistakes, for example when a patient is allergic to a medication.
The use of robots and wireless technologies can also drastically improve surgery, making it more precise and less invasive. 3D imaging has also proven to be very helpful for better diagnosis and thus better treatments. So #eHealth as a whole is helping to improve the efficiency of healthcare systems.
Primarily related SDG Targets: 3.1, 3.5, 3.8, 3.c, 10.2, 11.1
Investment Rationale and Growth Potential
The use of online solutions in healthcare is relatively new and has growth potential. The shift to online databases is taking place all over the world and online consultations have boomed due to the Covid19 pandemic. To improve diagnoses and treatments, faster communication and thus cost savings, health insurers support #eHealth, and it will continue to grow.
