Have you ever gone to a doctor's appointment virtually?

If not, odds are you will have a virtual appointment in the future. 

Telehealth is one of the new technological trends in healthcare. Now, you can get an expert opinion and see just about any healthcare professional without having to leave your home and sit in a waiting room. 

Keep reading to learn more about what telehealth is and some other significant trends that are transforming the lives the doctors and patients. 

Technological Trends In Healthcare to Watch For This Year 

Telehealth has been around for a while, but you should expect to see it more widely adopted this year. The COVID-19 crisis accelerated telemedicine and other technological advances in healthcare. During this virus outbreak, doctors needed a way to see a lot of patients quickly, without putting their health at risk.

So, many doctors started doing virtual patient consultations, and countries like Italy began using robotics to tend to patients. 

As telehealth becomes more widely adopted, other technological advancements and trends start to emerge as well. Here are five healthcare technology trends you might already be seeing or you will see this year: 

1. More Doctors Will Adopt Telehealth 

Right now, it is mostly general practitioners that use telehealth to diagnose illnesses. However, as more and more patients start to demand in-home services, doctors of all specialties will have to adapt and start offering telehealth services. 

Even chiropractors, who are used to hands-on services, can start offering telehealth in the form of consultations or patient check-ins. 

2. Artificial Intelligence 

Telemedicine isn't the only technological advancement that is changing healthcare. Artificial intelligence (AI) will also change how people receive a diagnosis and medical treatment. AI is already being used to analyze a patient's symptoms and medical history to provide a more accurate diagnosis. 

3. Health-Tracking Apps

You probably already have a health-tracking app built into your smartphone. Whether you use this app to gain insights into your health or not, it is tracking your habits every single day. As the capabilities on these apps become more advanced, chiropractors can use them to understand how healthy you are. 

4. Robotic Doctors and Nurses 

Just like we've already seen in Italy, hospitals around the world are using robots to tend to patients, so doctor's lives don't have to be put at risk. Robotics combines machinery with AI to provide constant care to patients. 

5. Smart Hospitals

Smart technology is already at work in most of our lives. Smart tools like thermostats, refrigerators, and televisions, for example, learn our habits and make suggestions that improve our lives. The same technology works in a hospital as well. Smart tools can learn about illness and doctor's routines and make the routine of treating patients much more streamlined and effective. For instance, according to Harvard, over 3 million people visit emergency rooms each year for low back issues. Here's the kicker- 99% of these issues can (and should be addressed) conservatively, with care such as chiropractic. As hospitals get "smarter," they will better be able to triage patients to the most appropriate providers proactively. 

Learn More About the Latest Chiropractic Trends 

As more and more patients start to demand virtual doctor's office visits, telehealth is something all chiropractors should consider incorporating into their practice. 

Make sure you check out the rest of our free tools that will help you keep up with the latest technological trends in healthcare and so much more. You can also become a member to unlock even more helpful resources that will take your practice to the next level.