Blayney Chronicle

How the medical industry has changed in a Covid-world

How the medical industry has changed in a Covid-world
How the medical industry has changed in a Covid-world

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Covid-19 and the global pandemic has besieged many industries across the world, but perhaps none more so than the medical industry.

The front line for treatment and the fight against the virus, the medical industry had to adapt and adapt quickly. Faced with uncertainty, an ever-changing virus and government protocols, the medical industry seemed to be changing almost daily.

If you've not kept up to date with just how the medical industry has changed since the Covid-19 pandemic began, use this guide to help get up to speed.

Personal protective equipment

The medical industry was never a stranger to the use or knowledge of personal protective equipment or PPE.

PPE helps protect not only the medical staff but the patients as well. When Covid-19 hit, it was abundantly clear that ensuring our health professionals were protected was priority number one.

Innovative medical industry companies began exploring new ways to provide PPE to the industry and beyond. One innovation that helped change the industry has been the introduction of PPE vending machines.

These vending machines help to create a constant source of PPE when staff in the medical industry require it.

The PPE vending machines ensure there isn't a need to keep every item stocked in a storeroom, especially those that are perishable.

Greater collaboration

It's no wonder sections of the medical industry started sharing more information in the face of a global pandemic, like mask-wearing and how to clean hands properly.

The medical industry is traditionally quite closed door, meaning companies are seeking to find a competitive edge, rather than share information to drive forward the entire sector.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, this trend changed somewhat. Vaccine manufacturers, governments and private organisations began sharing more information in the hopes of beating this virus and limiting the potential mutations in the future.

Data has been shared about drug and vaccine efficacy, the impacts of underlying health conditions and global information on strains. Rather than seeking a competitive advantage, the industry as a whole has banded together to defeat a common enemy, one that has the potential to shut down entire industries on its own.

Increased technology adoption

The medical industry can sometimes be described as a tale of two sides. On one side you have the rapid pace of change seen in pharmaceutical care, then on the other, you have the slower-paced healthcare treatment entities.

Generally speaking, hospitals and healthcare entities rely on older technology, especially when it comes to internal information sharing and sometimes, data tracking.

Covid-19 has changed that quite a bit, with healthcare providers and hospitals needing to rapidly change in order to ensure accurate and up to date information, was being shared.

The use of new technologies in hospitals helped to create a safer environment for patients and staff.

Ensuring entrants to these facilities were easily tracked was one of the biggest changes. Staff areas were always easily auditable, but general areas of a hospital or healthcare facility, not so much.

Tracking through QR codes and other platforms have meant it's now much easier to know exactly who has entered a facility and why.

Covid-19 continues to challenge the traditional technologies in the medical industry and will no doubt continue to change them for the better.

Great data visibility

Data is the great equaliser when it comes to most things in life, but especially for Covid-19.

The data surrounding the virus such as infections, demographics, pre-existing conditions and other points were pivotal to understanding the virus.

This kind of data in the medical industry isn't new or uncommon, the visibility of it is though.

During the pandemic, there has been a much greater emphasis on the sharing of data between both private and public entities to help ensure we can appropriately fight the virus.

Without this visibility of data, the medical industry would struggle to drive through the innovations required to combat Covid-19.

This data visibility has also helped provide a sense of understanding to those outside the industry, which goes a long way to building trust in the community.

Covid-19 has presented unprecedented challenges to industries all over the world.

Perhaps one industry that has felt the full brunt of Covid-19 is the medical industry.

Facing a challenge isn't all bad though, it allows for growth and change, two things that can be hard to come by without the right stimuli.

In the face of the pandemic, the medical industry has seen significant innovation and improved practices.

From PPE vending machines to greater visibility of integral data, the pandemic has shaken up the whole industry. To better understand that change, be sure to keep a continued eye on the topics in this guide.