Healthcare • 04 February 2025
Remote care: how technology reduces the burden on caretakers
The care sector is under pressure. An ageing population, staff shortages and a growing demand for care make the work for care workers increasingly challenging. Fortunately, technology offers solutions that not only support patients, but also ease the workload of care professionals. Remote care plays a key role here. In this article, we look at the possibilities of remote care and how these technologies contribute to a sustainable future for the care sector.
What is remote care?
Remote care, also known as telecare, allows medical support to be provided without healthcare providers and patients having to be physically together. Digital technologies allow patients to be monitored at home, consultations to take place via video and data to be shared with healthcare providers in real time.
For healthcare workers, this means enormous relief: they can work more efficiently, help more people and spend less time on travel time or administrative tasks.
Remote monitoring
Smart sensors and wearables make it possible to monitor patients remotely. Think heart rate monitors, blood pressure devices or glucose monitors that transmit data directly to the healthcare provider. This is especially valuable for chronically ill patients.
With automatic alerts, care workers only receive a notification when something is abnormal, allowing them to focus on the people who really need care at that moment. Less time spent on check-ups, more time for acute care.
Read about the LUMC Care app
Video consultations
Video consultations allow patients to contact their doctor or nurse from home. This saves travel time, both for the patient and the healthcare provider, and reduces crowding in hospitals and GP surgeries.
For example, a GP can assess a simple complaint via video, while a specialist can give advice without the need for a physical referral. This makes care faster, more efficient and more accessible.
Remote medication management: getting a grip on health with smart tools
An app can help patients keep track of their medication intake and provide practical reminders at the times of need. With access to clear reports, they can make decisions faster and more efficiently, without sacrificing precious time. This makes medication management not only easier, but also more effective - for both patients and healthcare professionals.
Read about the Astma App
Virtual nurses
AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants can take over some of the work of healthcare workers. They answer simple questions, guide patients through their treatment or send reminders for appointments.
This means healthcare workers spend less time on routine questions, while patients are still helped quickly.
Read about the Medicoo App
How remote care reduces pressure
Remote care has a direct impact on the workload of care workers. By using technology, they can work more efficiently and focus their time on the tasks that really matter. Here are some of the ways remote care reduces workload:
- Less travel time: Care workers no longer have to physically visit patients or make consultations.
- Better time management: Routine checks and administrative tasks are automated, leaving more time for acute care.
- More prevention, less emergency care: Real-time monitoring allows problems to be spotted faster, often preventing a patient from ending up in an emergency situation.
- Support by AI: Virtual assistants and chatbots take over simple questions and processes, allowing healthcare providers to focus on more complex tasks.
The challenges of remote care
While remote care offers many advantages, there are also challenges. Not every patient has access to the necessary technology or is comfortable with it. Moreover, healthcare providers have to learn how to use the digital tools and dependence on technology can sometimes lead to technical problems. It is therefore crucial to make technology user-friendly and to properly guide patients and caregivers in its use. Only then can remote care really make a difference.
The future of remote care
Remote care is still in its infancy, but the potential is huge. In the future, we can expect even more personalisation and integration. AI will get better at predicting health problems, smart devices will become even more accurate and systems will work together seamlessly. For healthcare workers, this means not only being less burdened, but also being able to deliver better care. And that is exactly what the sector needs.
While remote care offers many advantages, there are also challenges. Not every patient has access to the necessary technology or is comfortable with it. Moreover, healthcare providers have to learn how to use the digital tools and dependence on technology can sometimes lead to technical problems.
It is therefore crucial to make technology user-friendly and to properly guide patients and caregivers in its use. Only then can remote care really make a difference.
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